/.^
After a woodcut by Hans Weiditz in H. Ziegler's German translation of
Boccaccio's De casibus, published by Steiner in Augsburg, Feb. 27, 1545, fol. n.
verso. The woodcut is one of 261 completed by Weiditz in the years 1519*20,
and first published in the" Trostspiegel," Steiner, Augsburg, 1532. (See Dodgson,
Catalogue of Early German and Flemish Woodcuts m the British Museum, 11.
pp. 144, 157.) Approximately original size, 157x100.
jA>. LYDGATE'S
FALL OF PRINCES
EDITED BY
HENRY BERGEN
PART I.
(Books I. and IL)
\
CK-
The Carnegie Institution of Washington
Washington, 1923
<s
CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
Publication No. 262
P£>
I /
THE PLIMPTON PRESS'NORWOOD'MASS*U*S-A
%
LYDGATE'S FALL OF PRINCES
PART L
INTRODUCTORY NOTE, THE METRE, BOCCACCIO'S
AND LAURENCE'S PREFACES, Etc.
BOOKS I. AND 11.
4^
-^
CONTENTS OF PART I.
Introductory Note ix-xxvii
The Metre xxviii-xlvi
Boccaccio's and Laurence's Prefaces, etc. . . xlvii-lxv
Book I i-i99
Book II 200-328
ERRATA
On page 174, line 6172, patisynge is a more correct
reading than paryschyng.
On page 426, line 3514, for Lacedemonios, read
Lacedemonois.
On page 815, line 1453, for impreuable read im-
prenahle.
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS
FALL OF PRINCES.
Part I, p. xlix, line 2 from bottom, for hoifs read ho;;;i«es.
,, p. 3, line 88, Miss Hammond suggested to me that " spare " means
to spar up, support, in other words that it is not related to OE
sparian, to spare, but is a verb formed from ME sparre, a spar,
timber.
„ p. 46, hne 1659, " thenbracyng of Pheton." This is not the English
word " embracing," but, as Laurence says, " lembrasement de
Pheton qui en grec signifie feu ou challeur " (comp. Part IV, 144).
Lat. brdsa, Fr. braise, glowing charcoal; braiser, to cook on hot
charcoal; enbyaser, to set fire to, to make glow.
Part III, p. S09, side-note to 1223-24 should read : " Lead, called leprous
gold and Tin of Jupiter, is duU of sound ; mercur\- is false and
fugitive."
„ p. 1029, hne no, insert hast after in.
Part IV, p. 92, line 12 from bottom : delete (also Wayland).
,, pp. 113, 114. To the twelve copies of P^mson's 1494 edition
mentioned, a thirteenth may be added ; namely, the New-
battle Abbey copy, which was sold by the American Art
Association in New York on January- 28, 1932. According to
the catalogue (Selections from the Famous Libraries of the most
hon. the Marquess of Lothian, New York, 1932), p. 57 (facing
facsimile of title-page), the volume is imperfect: 57 leaves
(a 1-8, b 2-3, h 6-8, i 1-3, k 4-8, 1 1-2, 4-5, n 4-6, o 1-8, p 1-3,
q 1-2, 7-8, r 2-8, s 1-4, C I and D 4-5) are missing and have
been made up with leaves taken from the edition of 1527.
On p. 46 of the same catalogue it is stated that the New-
battle Abbey copy of the Colard Mansion edition of Laurence's
first version is " one of three known copies . . . the two others
are both in public hbraries and both are imperfect." Actually
there are thirteen or fourteen known copies; the Newbattle
Abbey copy, however, is according to Henri Michel the only
known copv in the third state (comp. Fall of Princes, Part IV,
128).
„ p. 120. For a discussion of Wayland '3 print and its relation to
the Mirror for Magistrates, see Professor W. T. Trench, A
Mirror for Magistrates, London, 1898, and Lily B. Campbell,
The Suppressed Edition of A Mirror for Magistrates in the
Huntington Library Bulletin, No. 6, November 1934.
THE DAUNCE OF MACHABREE
As a result of an abortive attempt to collate both Harley 116 and Lans-
downe 699, each of which belongs to a different group of ^ISS. (Harley to
the Ellesmere group (A) , and Lansdowne to the B group) and of the fact
that the incomplete variants were pieced together, in part with incorrect
attributions, while I was in America in 191S-19, only to be forgotten and
left unrevised on my return to England in 191 9, and finally, in 1923, in-
advertently printed as they stood, the footnotes to the Daunce of Machabree
are in a state of error and confusion that must be seen to be believed.
The only amends I can make is : i. to refer the reader to the edition of the
(^
2 Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes.
Dance of Death edited by the late Miss Florence Warren, with introduction
and notes by Miss Beatrice White of King's College, London, where he will
find the Ellesmere and Lansdowne IMSS. printed complete, together with a
collation of all the known MSS., and 2. to supply the following revised
collation of Harley 116 and Lansdowne 699.
I was not struck by it at the time, but 1 now have a strong suspicion that
in spite of their manner, and to a certain extent their vocabulary, many if
not all of the additional stanzas in the B group, as well as the major variants,
are not by Lydgate, who so far as we know was not in the habit of revising
his work, but by another hand (or hands). All the at present known MSS.
are late and excessively corrupt, but with few exceptions the additional
stanzas, substituted lines and other textual alterations in the B group are
at the worst so inferior and at the best so indifferent both in sentiment and
in metre as compared with the A group, that I find it difficult to believe
that Lydgate had anything to do with them. Even the Emperesse, the
Mayr, the Chanoun Reguler and the Doctor utriusque Juris, although I
should hesitate to include them positively as later additions, have a
certain emptiness difficult to parallel in the A version and could very well
be imitations of Lydgate's style. On the other hand, the Justice and
Monialis are metrically impossible as they stand, the Artifex (also metrically
bad, and in which Death appears as a woman), the Sergeant in Law, the
substituted seventh line of the Jurour, the Famulus, and Machabre the
Doctour, seem to be hardly more than a travesty of Lydgate. It is also
difficult to believe that the Dean, the Physician, the Minstrel (especially
his Kesponse) and the two final stanzas are revisions. A careful study of
the relations of the MSS. to one another as well as of the poem itself — its
vocabulary, rhyme and metre — would be of great interest.
VARIANT READINGS IN MS. LANSDOWNE 699 = L:
The first five stanzas are omitted. 46 of Machabree] which that ye see.
47 ylike] om. 48 ne] nor. 49 wight] man. 51 toforne] before — shall go.
56 00] oon. — yforged] Forgid. 57 most] om. 59 hath] have. 60 and
states temporall] most in especiall. 65 for] with deth. 71 which al] sich.
75 mot] must. 77 leue your] lat. 79 is worth] vaileth. 81 that] om.
— me] om. 82 Whan deth me sailith that doth me constreyn. 83 helpen]
socour. 86 and] and my. 87 Wher vpon sore I me compleyn. go
sheweth] seemeth. gi yet for-thy] for al that. 92 folke my] estates this.
93 ye] om. 95 I fee;'e. 96 honour] worship. g7 certes this] trewly it.
g8 to dreede. loi vnto] to. 102 eke] hecr. 103 which] the which.
— conceyued] lemyd. 104 That worldly] How that al. Two stanzas, the
Imperatrix and her response, are here included in L : Lat se your hand / my
lady dame Empresse : Have no disdeyn / with me for to daunce : Ye may a
side / leyn al your richesse : Your fresh attyres / devises of plesauHce :
Your soleyn cheeris / your strange countenaunce : Your clothis of gold /
most vncouthly wrouht : Hauyng of deth / ful litcl remembrance : But
now se wcel al is come to nouht : Rcsponsum : What availeth / gold
richesse o[r] perre : Or what availeth / hili blood or lentylnesse : Or what
availeth / freshnesse or beaute : Or what is worth / hih portc o[r] straunge-
nesse : Deth seith chck mat / to al sich veyn noblesse : All worldly power /
now may me nat availe : RauKSOun kyndrede / frenship nor worthynesse :
Syn deth is come / myn hih estat tassaile. 105 O] Right. 107 That som
tyme had so gret possessiot^n. 108 Rewmys obeyng / vn to your hih
noblesse. log Ye most of nature / to this daunce yow dres.se. no &
P'ynally your crouwne / & sceptre leete. in Who] For who so. — here]
om. 113 nought] nat. — toforn] afforn. 115 Wher bi I see / ful cleerly
in substauMce. 116 or force of high linage] force or hih parage. 119 is]
that is. — 1 holde hym most sage] hath most avauwtage. 121 Sir
I'atriarch / ful sad & huwble of cheere. 122 Ye mote with othir / gon on
this dauMce with. 125 very] trouth. 126 Be possid / in hast as I rehers
can. 127 Trusteth] Trust. 129 gret] ovi. 131 olde ioyes] ioies old.
Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes. 3
— tristesse] distresse. 132 treasours' honour. 133 for' to. 134 estates"
estat. — wasten' waste. 135 Who so montith hihest stondith most in
drede. 136 Create" Such heuy. — hym oft" hem often. The Cunstable
is replaced bv the Princeps, in which only the third hne is similar to that
in the A group : Riht mvhty pr>-nce / be rith weell certeyn : This d&unce to
yow / is Tnot eschewable] : For more myht>- ' than euer was Carlema\-n :
6r worthy Arthour / of prowes ful notable : With al his knyhtes of the
rouKde table : What did ther platis ther armour or ther made : Ther
strong corage ' ther sheeldes defensable : A ge\-ns deth >vaile; , whan he
hem dide assaile. The reponse shows fewer variations. 145 whole] myn.
146 assail" assegid. 147 And br\-nge folke] RebeUis to br\-ng. 148 To
seeke worshipis ' fame & "grete r\-chesses]. 149 See" se weel. — prowess'e>.
150 which is a great' wher of I have. 151 eke] om. — swetnesses. 153
voul so. 154 So frowardlv] Your look your face. 155 Yee must obey to
[my] mortal lawe. 156 contran.-] co»stre\Tie. 157 For day bi day be
right wele certe^-n. 15S the] o»i. 159 Preestes & deth may nat be holden
a geyn. 160 a daye] oon our. — contith. 162 haue so gret] stonde in
sich. 163 might" power. 164 That who-soj But who that it. 166 And
se>Ti A-dieu / pompe and p;-/de also. 167 My pexTited paleys / tresour &
richesse. 169 Erl or Baron ' which that thourh regiouKS. 170 Have sore
laboured / for worship & renoim. 172 This] om. 173 Whylom] som
t\-me. — and] & your. 174 ^^'as in estat / & wordly wurship to glade.
175 oft it] often t\-me. 177 ofte sith] often tyme. 17S ewpr\-se — th},-ng.
179 high & lowl gret estates. iSo ladies & women] princes tt lordis. 181
Xe] Nor. 182 lordes courte] roial courtes. — was] weer. 185 But deth
vnwarly / al power makith lame. Under] And vndir. The next two
stanzas, the Princess and her response, are omitted in L. 201 My Lord]
Com ner. — with] with your. 202 soothlye I] soth I yow. 207 couwte.
208 ouer] on. 209 Of these tid^•nges ,' I am no th\-ng glaad. 210 \Much
deth to me ; so sodeynly doth br\-ng. 211 It makith my face & cou«ten-
au«ce ful saad. 213 now to my] to me in. 215 And needis we must / on
to our departATig. 217 Commeth forth Syr Squyer] Knyht or sc\vyer —
gises. 219 fresshe] wele. 220 devises. 221 on you so] upon yow. —
high emprise] straunge emprises. 224 stroke] power. 225 Sith. 226 that]
oni. 22S whilom] som t>Tne. 229 Adieu beaute that lastith but short space.
Here L, together with the other MSS. of the B group, includes the following
four stanzas on the " Maior " and the '" Canonicus Regularis " : Com forth
sir Ma\T ; which had gou^mau^-'ce : Bi poUicie to rewle this cite : Thouh
your power / were notable in siebstaunce : To flee my dau>!ce ye have no
liberte : Estate is noon nor wordly dygn^-te : That may escape ' out of
my dau'.'geris ; To f\'nde rescew / exau>;!ple ye may se : Xouther bi
richesse / nor force of off ceres. Responsum : What helpith now ' thestat
in which I stood : To rewle Cites / or Comouws to goueme : Plente of
richesse / or increce of good : Or olde ^^-^-nn^^lg / that cometh to me so
yeme : Deth al defaceth who so list to leme : Me for tareste ' he com\-th
on so faste : Eche man ther fore shold a fore disceme : Prudently to
th^-nk \'pon his laste. The Canonicus Regularis : Lat see your hand ' sir
chanon Reguler : Som tvme sworn ' to religioim : As huw!ble soget &
obedienceer : Chastly to live ,' lik vour professioifn : But ther may be no
consolaciojm : Age\Ti mv sawes ' sode\'n & cruell : Except oonly / for
short conclusioim : Who liveth in vertu : mot nedis dey weel. Respon-
sum : Whi shulde I grutche ' or disobeye : The th\Tig which ' of verrey
kyndly riht : Was I orde\-ned & born for to deye : As in this world is
orde\Tied euer\- wiht : Which to remembre is no thyng liht : Pra\-ng the
lord / that was sprad on the roode : To medle mercy / with his eternal
myht : And save the sowles that he bouht with his blood. 233 Commeth
forth Syr Abbot] Sir Abbot and priour. 234 To been abassht / ye have a
maner riht. 236 noth\-ng" nat. 237 Leven your lordship. 239 Who
that] Who so — to hyw; I have. 240 In his grave sonnest shal
putrefie. 241 o] no. 242 bnow] o»i. — al] al maner. 244 This doth
to me ' somwhat the lesse grevau;fce. 245 libertes. 246 availe. 24S
in d^-ing] to fom deth. 250 mantyl. 252 bedes sister] beddes softe.
4 Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes.
255 for] om. 256 no] om. 257 this for me] oni. 258 it nought declyne]
nat hy;« eschewe. 259 If it so be ful oft] Vnto this of riht. 260 That heer
with othir / I must his trace sewe. 261 This pilgrymage / to every man is
dewe. 262 An ernest mateer / a mateer of no iape. 263 Who that is
alwey redy / shal nevir rewe. 264 The hour abydyng / that god hath for
hym shape. Here are inserted four stanzas, the Index and the Doctor
vtriusque juris and their responses. The two stanzas on the Bayly are
omitted. That hand of youres / my lord lustice : That have rewlid / so
long the lawe : Weel may men holde / yow war & wise : So that this drauht /
be weel drawe : Escape shal ye nat / wold ye neuer so fawe : Sich dome to
have / as ye have youen in soth : Wher fore men seyn / of an olde sawe :
Weel is hy;M / that alwey weel doth. Response : Alias ne were / that myn
entent : Was weele dressid / thouh I othir while erryd : Now shuld I vttrely /
be shamyd & shent : For many causes / that I have oftyn d[e]ferrid :
Sauff mercy oonly / now were I marrid : Blissid ther fore / is enery wiht :
As bi holy scriptur / may ben averrid : That in all tyme / doth lawe &
kepith riht. The Doctor Vtriusque juris : Com forth doctour / of Canon
cS; Cyvile : In bothe these lawis / of long cowtinuaunce : Your tyme hath
spent / bewar ye did no gile : In your mateers / for to han fortherauwce :
Now must ye lerne / with me for to dauwce : All your lawe / may yow nat
a vaile : Gifl me your hand / & make no perturbauwce : Your hour is
come / this is withonten faile. His re.sponse : A mercy lesn / whow man-
kynde is freele : And litel tyme / in this worlde abydyng : No man of his
liiffi / hath charter nor seele : Ther fore it may / be likned in all thyng :
Vnto a Flour / so amorously fioorsshyng : Which with a Froste / bi gynneth
riht sone to fade : Whan cruell deth / his massage list to bryng : Al
liffly thyng / he bryngeth in the s[h]ade. 281 Maister] om. — lookest]
loken. 287 aresteth] doth arrest. 289 and] or. 290 nought] om. 291 Ne
in the] Nor in. — seke] serche out. 292 nor] or. 294 descriven. 296
Who liueth aryght] om. The two stanzas on the Burgess are omitted. The
Chanon Seculer is headed Decanus in L. 313 And ye Syr] Sir dean or.
315 In gret array / your tresour to dispende. 316 With all your richesse /
& your possessiouws. 317 For kynde hath sett / hir revoluciouws. 318
Eche man som day / to dau«ce on dethis brynk. 319 Ther of ye may, etc.
320 For deth cometh evir, etc. 321 My divers cures / my riche pej-sonages.
322 God wot ful lite] Alias ful litel thei. 323 Deth vpon me / hath geten
his avantages. 324 That] om. — can make me now no sporte. 325 gris]
grey. — wyl] must. 326 a surples and] with many a gret. 327 For
which trewly / as clerkis can reporte. 328 deye. Here follow two stanzas,
" Monialis " and response, in L : Thouh ye be barbid / & claad in clothis
blaake : Chastly receyued / the mantil & the ryng : Ye may nat the
cours / of nature for sake : To daunce with othir / now at my comyng :
In this world / is non abidyng : Nouthir of maide / widewe nor wiff :
As ye may seen / heer cleerly bi wrytyng : That a geyns deth / is iounde
no preseruatiff. The Response : It helpith nat / to stryve a geyn natwre :
Namely whan deth / bi gynneth tassaile : Wher fore I couwseil / euery
creature : To been redy / a geyn this fel batayle : Vertu is sewrer / than
othir plate or maile : Also no thyng / may helpe at sich a nede : Than to
provide / a sur acquytaile : With the hand of almesse / to love god &.
drede. 329 Ye] Come. — ye mot] &. 330 That passid haue] Which
hast passid. — ful] om. 331 regard] reward. 333 ye, your] thou, thyn.
334 Al thyn old labour / wher is it be come now. 336 coveitith than he
that hath. 338 many] om. 339 Bi strauwge seeis carried. 341 ay] evir.
342 now] om. — me doth] doth me. 344 litle] he lityl. Two stanzas,
the " Artifex " and his response, follow here in L : Yeve hidir thyn hand /
thou Artificeer : For ther is fouMcle / no subtilite : Bi witt of man / that
fro my dauwgeer : To save \\ym silff / can have no liberte : My strook is
sodeyn / fro which no man may flee : Bi coriouste / nor cunnyng of fressh
devise : Kynde hath ordeyned / it will non othir be : Eche man mote
passe / whan deth settith assise. The Response : Ther is no craft / serchid
out nor souht : Cast nor compassid / bi old nor newe entaile : I se ful weel /
withynne myw owen thouht : A geyns deth / [whiche that may] availe :
Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes. 5
She p^rshith sheeldis •' she pershith plate & maile : A ge\-ns her strok -'
cunnyng nor science : Whan that hir Ust mortally to assaile : Alas alias
ther mav be no deffence. 347 and vour selt doth your chyne. 351 as^
outward'. 353 long agon" ago ful longe. 355 And; om. 356 Dreadeth]
Dredith hvw. — kindly; naturall. 35S But please to God; Plese it lorde.
361 Sir' oin. — vour; thi. 362 nor; nor no. 364 ye; thou. 366 you; the.
367 sturdi a. 36S another is also; deth is \-it mor. 369 durste; darst.
370 Thafi Which. 371 Which; And. — 'bothen; \valk>-ng. 372 ful
surquedou's of with ful dispitous. 373 arested; arest. 374 can; may.
375 both' o;«. 376 for" om. The four stanzas on the Monke and the
Usurer, as well as the stanza, " The Poore Man boroweth of the Usurer,"
are omitted in L. The stanzas on the " Physicien " are quite different in
L : Ye phisiciens / for monv that loken so fast : In othir mennys watris
what thei evle : Look weel to your silf / or att last : I not what your
medic\Ties / nor crafte may av'aile : For deth com>-ng , sode\-nly doth
assaile' : As weel lechis as othir that shal ye knowe : Atte last lugement /
withouten anv faile : \\'han al men shal repe as thei have sowe^ The
Response ; Alias to long and to myche in phisik ; For lucre I plye;d; al
mv bis\-nes5e : Bothe in specIacio;.'n / ^v in practik : To knowe ^t konne al
bo'dely"siknes=e : But of gostly helthe I was reklesse : Wher fore shal
helpe'nother herbe nor roote : Nor no medic\-ne saurt goddes goodnesse :
For a ge\-ns deth ■ is fN-naly no boote. The two stanzas on the Amerous
Squ^-re are omitted in L. 451 ye was; o»'.. 452 and; o>n. 453 thei went
otn. ' 455 daunger long in loue; deynous dau>.'geer. 456 Vnto this dau>:ce
ye mote your fot>-ng dresse. '457 sparist. The Man of Law is called the
Sergeant in Lawe in L. 465 Syr Aduocate; Come neer sir Sergeant. 466
highe iudge; Iu;ge; on hihe. 467 quarei; quarell thouh. 46S to folke
refuge; folk gret remedie. 469 Ther shal your sotil wittis be deemyd
rfoh-;. 470 YifiE sleathe / & covetise be nat exiled. 471 Be war bi t\-mes
& labour for mercy. 472 For thei that trust most thew silff ar sonnest
bigiled. 474 I can alleggen nor make no diffence. 475 Xor bi sleihte
nor statute me with drawe. Tescape a way - from this dreedful sentence.
477 For al my witt , nor gret prudence. 4 78 No th^mg ;i;n erthe may no
man preser\-e. 479 Agayn; A ge^ms. 4S0; oni. Here L omits Master
John Rikil Tregetour and the Parson, four stanzas. 515 like to; aftir.
519 But lat se now that wythinne so short a space. 520 Before — acqu\-te.
521 Som t^Tne I was callid, etc. 524 whom; om. 525 Hang — acqu\te.
52S a man is; oon wole be. The two stanzas on the Minstrel are replaced
by two others so different that they must be given entire : Gentil menstral
shewe now thi witt : How thou canst pleye or foote ariht this dau)!ce :
I dar weel sei that an harder fitt : Than this ; fil neuyr to thi chauKce :
Look ther fore what may best avauwce : Thi sowle as now & vse that I
reede : Refuse nyce play & vevn plesau^ce : Bettir late than neuyr to
do good deede. The Response : Ey benedicite this world is freele : Now
glad / now sor\- what shal men vse : Harpe lute phidil pipe farwell :
Sautr\- Sithol & Shalmuse : Al wordlv m\Tthe I here refuse : God
grauwte me grace ' of sich penaunce : As may myn old s>Tines excuse :
For alle be nat mer\- that othir whyle dau'.ce. The two following stanza.s,
the Famulus and his response, are included here in L : Seruant or of?.cer /
in th\Ti office : Yifi thou hast ben as god wold ct riht : To poore A; riche /
doon ple\-n lustice : Fled extorciouw with al thy myht : Than maist thou /
in this dauwce go hht : Or elles ful hevy- ' shalt thou be thanne : Whan alle
domys shal fynaly be diht : Go we hens the tvde a bidith no man. The
Response : Shal I so sone to dethis dauwce : That wend to have l\•^•ed
yeeris many mo : And sodeynly forsake al my plesauwce : Of offices /
& profites ;that; long ther to : Yit oon th\-ng I consel or I go : In offi.ce
lat no man doon outrage : For dreede of god A: pevn also : Also sen.-ice _
is noon heritage. 546 fuF ow. 547 Ye must eke; Thou must here. 54? if;
thouh. 550 this; the. — from thee' for. 551 The' This. — can so folkes;
causith folk to. 552 He; For he. 554 Albe that; Al thouh. 556 to haue
gon at the plowe; & go;n; forth at ;the; plouh. 55S diked — atte cart.
559 telle platly howe; ple\-nly avow. 560 In this world here / rest is ther
6 Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes.
noon. 561 Come forth thou frere / to the, etc. 562 To] Vpon. — you]
the. 563 your] thi — hast ful often tauht. 564 most] oyn. 565 Albe] al
thouh. — thereto] ther of. 566 nor] ne. 567 Death dare hym rest] I
dar arrest hym. 570 to abide] for tabide. 571 Strength] Strengthe nor.
— so] om. 572 Of] O. 579 beforne] to forn. 580 in hast by fatall] with
hem with sotil. 518 ouer] of. — upon my] on this. 582 escape in soth]
in soth skape. 584 Who] Who so. 585 a] o. 586 so] ful. 587 so] ful.
588 list no lenger to] of his strok list. 589 come] cam. 590 Of me no] On
me more. — ye] om. 592 As] For as. — man] sheep. The stanzas on
the Yong Gierke are omitted in L. 610 there] om. At the laste yet]
Tyme is come that. 612 thexpenence. 613 may be] is. 614 hermitage]
heritage. 615 aduert to] advertise. 616 That this lift heer / is but a
pilgrymage. 617 To liue] Liff. 618 again] a geyns. — • respite none nor
space] no respite nor [sp]ace. 620 by] be. 621 hym] my lord. 622 and
great habundaunce] such as I have assayed. 624 that lacketh sufEraunce]
but he that halt hym payed. The next stanza, Death speaketh agayn to
the Hermite, is omitted in L. The last three stanzas are entitled " Con-
clusio " in L. 633 Ye] Ye ye. — loken — portrature] scripture. 634 Be-
holding] Conceyveth. — all] that al. 635 been] be. 637 haueth] have.
638 Be fore your mynde / a boven al thyng. 640 fine of our] ende of your.
641 What is mannys liff / but a countenauwce. 642 Or [as] a puff of
wynde / that is transitorie. 643 As may be weel / pcj'ceived bi this dauwce.
644 Ther fore ye / that reden this storye. 645 Keepe thentent / in your
memorye. 646 And it shal steer yow / in to gostly liff. 647 Teschewe
peyn / & come vnto glorie. 648 And be your socour / in al gostly stryff.
The final stanza in L is as follows : Be nat a fferd / this scriptur in tyme of
pley : In your mynde / to revolve & reede : For trust trewly / ye shal
nevir the sonner deye : But it shal cause yow / synne for to dreede : The
which refusid / ye shal have gret meede : Ther fore a mong / have mynde
on this lettir : And vse vertu / praj'er & almesse deede : And than I dar
sey / ye shal doon the bettir. The Lenuoye of the Translatoure, two stanzas,
is omitted in L.
Variant readings in MS. Harley 116 = H : 3 cuer lasten] laste exxer.
4 prouidence] prudennce. 5 To see a fore. 6 be] dethe {corrected to sleth).
"]] om. 8 high & loue. 9 not hight ne law. 11 in] in thaire. 13 Her] The.
17 Consideryng. 18 it] yit. 19 the example. 20 Full] But. 21 Ther of
franch clerkes. 30 that] whiche. 32 may clerly ther. 33 intentes. 36
surplusages. 38 declare] delyuere. 40 is transposed after 36. The next
stanza, " The Wordes of the Translatour," is included in the Prologue in H.
42 which] which pat. The foUoiuing .stanza [lines 49-56) is omitted. 57
O ye. — high] hight. 59 to] as. — hath] hadde. 61 ye] om. 64 of all]
om. 68 Seynt Petris] petres. 69 fro] om. 70 Vpon this] On his. 74
Most] om. — surmountyng] and hieste. 79 is worth] worthe is. 83 gin]
bote. 88 litle auauntage] so lytell vayntage. 90 it sheweth] me semeth.
97 this] Jjat. — faile] fable. 100 All myn array to leue be hend me [mis-
placed after loi). loi vnto] to. 107 whylom had] hadd somtyme. 109
great] om. no ye] you. 113 toforn] a fore. 114 sauage] sage (sa[ua]ge).
115 through] for. — by] my. 116 or] om. — of] or. 118 Great] bothe
grett. 119 hym] he is. 121 al] witA al. 122 quiteth] quite. — nor] for.
137 my] om. — arcst you and] rest and you. 140 enforcede. 141 ne]
nor. — this] is. 142 Nor] Ne. 143 most] om. 146 assail] haue assayled.
— mighty] om. — fortresse. 150 see] see well. 153 you] so. 158 the]
om. 160 a] 00. 163 to escape. — no] non. — se] seen. 166 &] my.
168 Thyng] For thinge. 169 Lordes] ladies. 172 nor] ne. 173 Whylom]
Som tyme. 174 daunsen] davne. 176 One] that 00. 177 sith] tymes.
178 Empryse. 185 good] and. 188 Nether] Nojjcr. — nor] ne. 190
whylom couth] somtyme cowde holde so. 195 this] his. 196 nis] is. 197
bountie nor in her] beaute ne in. 198] That she of Kight most nedys the
trace sew. 199 When] For to. — fairne.s] fresshnes. 200] Oure Reueled
age saith farwell adiev. 201 with] with your. 203 For] om. 208 ouer]
om. 209 nother] nothing. 214 Which al estates] That al folkes. 217
Commeth] Come. — of] in. 218 daunces] davncc. 221 toke] take.
Additions and Corrections to the Fall of Princes. 7
223 Daunseth" Da\Tice. — no" not. 225 Sithe. 227 now" ow. 22S
whilom^ somtyme. 229 al" oni. 233 Come. 234 Beeth nought] Be not —
haue. 235 rounde" large. 239 Who is most fatte. 241 manace] tretyse.
— hauen o gret] I haue noon. 243 cloystre. 244 is' o»i. 246 they vayle~
avaylle. 247 aske I] I haske. — devoute] hartly. 251 your r3,-ng]
passing. 252 bedes sister] beddys softe. — mot now le\-n a-syde] must
now lay on syde. 254 borne] and borne. 256 man] wyght. 259 If]
Thogh. 263 with] doth. 265 knowen] know. 26S Extorcioun. 271
exclude. 274 To] To the. 276 Whilom] Somt^ine. 277 by labour oft]
for favor or. 27S seth\-n — by] ne. 279 wel] o»i. 2S0 Ayen. 2S1 loken.
285 Sith that — genelogie. 291 difference] defence. 292 domif^-ing]
demonstr^-nge. 294 our] all our. 296 \Mio liueth an,-ght mot] But who so
Ij-ueth Ryght most. 299 strong] strange. 300 Toward] To. — mot you]
muste now. 302 came] come. 30S fordoth] distroieth. 310 on] of. 311
it] is. — the worlde wil it] and he will hit. 319 no] none. 320 ay] euer.
321 benefices — mony] many a. 322 hte] h-tell. 323 of] on. 324 That] o»i.
— may] may be. — nought disport] not support. 325 wyl] om. 326
a] om. 32S dye. 329 mot] must. 330 many a. 337 a] ow. 339 downe]
do. 340 more] mo. 349 striue] strve. 351 as] om. 355 And] Thoghe.
35S please] pleas it. 359 Fro] From. — 2nd fro] o»j. 360 ame to-day]
men be this day — not. 362 nor] ne no. 402 eke] om. 404 none] no.
406 loke] se. 40S seen] se. 417 on] in. 420 cunne] kanne. 421 so fer-
forth is iRonne. 422 Ayenste. 423 haue] hath. 426 eke] om. 432
Ayenste. 435 of hert eke desirous is erased. 436 chaunge] chanche. 43S
into] NTito. 439 al] all your. 442 A yenste. 446 so fresh so weF so well
and fresshe. 451 whilom] somt\-me. 455 hath lad] haue lede. 462 many
a man haue all»erede. 463 sentement] sentence. 466 plete] and plete.
— highe] om. 46S done to] to do. 470 auaile may] may a wale. 471
scapeth] schapith. 472 Be fore — nought teint] not ta}-ne. 474 nought'
om. — against] a yene. 475 kepen or] kepe ne. 476 al] o»;. 478
Nor noth}-ng] No no man. 479 make] make no. 4S0 quiteth] quiethe.
TJie Trege'tour and the Parson follow the Man of Law in Tottel, otherwise the
order is as in H. 4S1 whilom] somtyme. 4S5 my] this. 4S7 ne] and. 4S9
magike] mau;.'kynde. 492 the heauens] heuen. 493 A venste. 496
\\TOught] wronge, with " at longe " written oier it in a later hand as a correc-
tion. 497 now] om. 499 ic' and yo»r. 500 of] on. 502 to' vnto. 504
And] As. 509 and] om. 513 at] is at. 515 devise. 516 gaue] haue.
517 bothe] o»i. 518 folkes. 521 \\'hilom] Somt}-me. 523 Not. 525
Hange. 527 say. 529 canst. 530 do. 531 anone] soon. ^^2 go.
533 nef>er. 536 schewe. 539 doth] dethe. 540 measures] musures.
543 not. 545 Thou] O thou. 547 Ye] Thou — not. 548 if] thoghe — not.
550 from] om. 551 The] For the. — so] om. 552 lyve. 553 wished]
wissede. ^^^ haue] had. 557 haue labored. 558 Doluen and ditched]
Delue and dyke. 559 platiye] pla^-nly. 560 here there. 563 taught'.
564 that o>/i. 565] om. 567 h}-m rest] arest h\-m. — mede] man. 571
nor what so] ne what f>at. 572 Of] om. 573 no'r] ne. 577 Eiifante. 579
to fome. 58oledd. 593 Clarke — free] so free. 594 Fro] For. 595 wend]
om. 597 highest] hie. 59S ayenst. 599 at] in. 604 Xe— ne. 611 muste'.
613 J)er ayen. 615 f)frfor — to] om. 617 To hue] L}-fi. 618 a venst — ne.
619 houre] stewyne. 624 suffraunce] suffysance. 627 all his] om. 629
deserue God quiteth] serue god quite.' 630 To] The. 633 folk'e" folken —
purturature. 636 not elles. 637 haueth] haue. — ave' euer. 638
whylom] somtyme. 641 Mans lyfe is nought els] Man is life elles (hfe
inserted above the line). 644 haue! 645 Remembre. 645 the] om. 64S in
heuen that maketh. 649 been there] ther ben. 652 errours. 655 hnie.
657 my lordes A: maisters] m.aistres and folkes. 659 prav" prav vou.
663 suppowle. 666 in] the. 667 fro. 670 me' o;«. 672 Her""Thever.
',/ K
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
It was probably not long after May 143 1 that Lydgate
began his "Fall of Princes," ^ at the request of Humphrey, Duke
of Gloucester, who was lieutenant and warden of England
from April 1430 to early January 1432 during the absence
of Henry VI. in France.* The mention of Gloucester's prowess
against heretics (Prologue, 400-413) no doubt refers, as Miss
Hammond has suggested,' to the suppression of the Lollard
risings at Oxford, Salisbury and London in the spring of 143 1,
and perhaps to Gloucester's presence "at the beheading, at
Oxford, of a small band of men led by the bailiff of Abingdon,"
in May 143 1.* We do not know the date of the com-
pletion of the work, but as Lydgate complains of his age,
"more than three score years," in Book VHI, (he was sixty-
five in 1436), and was engaged on the "Life of Albon and
^ There has been confusion in regard to the title of the book: some students
write "falls" and others "fall"; one or two have on occasion used both forms.
Tottel's title-page seems to have been responsible for the plural, as Wayland
printed "tragedies" in his title and "fall" in the heading of the table of con-
tents, and Pynson "fall" (falle) in the titles and colophons of both his editions.
Among others who have followed Tottel are Thomas Arnold, Henry Morley,
Ten Brink, Koerting, Schick (who prefers "falles"), A. W. Ward, Courthope,
Saintsbury, and Lee (art. Lydgate, Diet. Nat. Biog.). G. Ellis, Hazlitt's Warton,
Taine, David Laing, Hortis, MacCracken, Miss Hammond, the Diet. Nat. Biog.
(art. Humphrey of Gloucester), and practically all catalogues of MSS., includ-
ing Ward, have "fall." R. Lane Poole prints "falls" on p. 229 of his edition
of Bale, Oxford, 1902, and "fall" on pp. 228 and 231; E. Gordon DuflF, "falls"
in Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit., H. 321, and "fall" elsewhere in his bibliographical
works. Earlier writers, such as William Baldwyn (preface to "Mirror of Mag-
istrates," ed. 1563), and Edward Phillips {Tbeatrum Poetarum Anglicanorunu,
ed. Brydges, 1800), and Thomas Gray have "fall"; Watt quotes "falls"
from Tottel; but Tottel himself printed "fall" in the heading of his table
of contents and in the colophon, fol. ccxviii verso. I have used "fall" because
there is no doubt that Lydgate himself called his book "The Fall of Princes."
He refers directly to it in lines VL 304 and IX. 3622, and in the same terms
to Boccaccio's original, L 51, 77, 270, 471, HL 133, VL 231, and to Chaucer's
"Monk's Tale" of the same title, L 249 and IX. 3422. He also used "fall"
as a subject of general interest (in reference to the opinions of Andalus di
Nigri), III. 174. "Fallys" he uses once as a subject of general interest, IX.
3450, and, so far as I have been able to discover, four times in reference to the
the "fallis" of specific princes.
* Prologue, 372 ff. * Anglia, 38. 133-136. * Jnglia, loc. cit.
X Introductory Note
Amphabel" in 1439, it is quite possible that, as Professor Schick
conjectures, it was finished in 1438 or 1439,^ perhaps before the
end of 1438; and there was at least a partial interruption
in 1433, while Lydgate was engaged in writing the "Legend
of St. Edmund and Fremund" at the command of Abbot
William Curteys, during and after a visit of Henry VI. to St.
Edmund's Bury, which lasted from Christmas 1432 to Easter
I433-'
The "Fall of Princes" consists of 36,365 lines of decasyllabic
verse arranged in seven and eight line stanzas,' rhyming ahabbcc
(rhyme royal) and ahabbcbc, and is a paraphrase of Des Cas des
Nobles Hommes et Femmes, Laurence de Premierfait's second,
amplified version in French prose of Giovanni Boccaccio's
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium.* The original Latin prose
work was written by Boccaccio between 1355 and 1360 and
dedicated to his friend, the chevalier Mainardo dei Caval-
canti, because "no emperor, king, prince or pope" seemed to
him worthy of his regard; and although a revised and some-
what augmented edition was issued at a later date (probably
before 1374), we are here concerned with the earlier text,
which is the one Laurence used in making his translation.^
The De Casibus might, as Henri Cochin suggests,^ be called
; a history of Fortune; for it is a collection gathered throughout
i the centuries describing the most memorable and crushing
^ Temple of Glas, p. cvii.
2 Legend of St. Edmund and Fremund, I. 187 fF. Temple of Glas, p. cvi.
* There are but few eight-line stanzas. See the Envoys on Arsinoe, Antio-
chus, the Scipios, Herod, and Charles of Anjou; the Chapitle of Fortune; the
Last Envoy, addressed to Humphrey, and the Words of the Translator to his
Book (IV. 3445, V. 1590, 1846, Vn. 246, IX. 2017, 3239, 3541, 3589).
* We sometimes meet with the title, De Casibus Virorum et fceminarum
Illustrium; but as Paul Durrieu has pointed out in his Le Boccace de Munich,
Munich, 1909, p. 19, the word virorum was used in the general sense of
"human beings," or, as we say, "people." (Parmi les ecrits latins de Boccace,
celui qui eut de beaucoup la plus grande notoriete fut le traite intitule De
Casibus virorum illustrium, le mot casibus repondant a la vieille expression
fran^aise cas, signifiant vicissitude de fortune, et le mot virorum etant entendu
dans le sens general de genre humain, ce qui fait que le titre De Casibus viro-
rum illustrium est devenu, dans le fran^ais du XV* siecle, Des Cas des nobles
hommes et femmes.)
' See Henri Hauvette, Boccace, 6tude Biographique et Litteraire, Paris,
1914, pp. 391 and 393, note. Also the chapter on Les CEuvres Latines, pp.
389, 396 and 347 ff.
' Henri Cochin, Boccace, £.tudes Italiennes, Paris, 1889, p. 122.
Introductory Note xi
blows dealt by fate to the illustrious personages of mythology
and history, and written, as the author himself said,^ with the
object of teaching princes the virtue of wisdom and modera-
tion by holding up to them the example of misfortunes pro-
voked by egotism, pride and inordinate ambition.' The form
is the familiar one of a vision or dream, the author represent-
ing himself at work in his study, while the "famous unfortu-
nates" pass before him in succession, and each tells the story
of his fall. Some are presented to Boccaccio by the goddess
Fortuna as those to whom she had at one time shown her
favour and afterwards thrown from her wheel; others enter
unannounced and clamour to be allowed to speak; and there
are several who take part in excited conversations with one
another or with the author, as in the chapters on Atreus
and Thyestes; Messalina, Tiberius and Caligula; and Brun-
hilde. Occasionally, Boccaccio himself contributes a tale by
way of illustration, and several stories are told by Fortuna;'
and the work is filled with ironical remarks on the vicious
stupidity of those to whom fate has given power over the lives
of their fellow men. The Latin book is more dramatic and of
greater literary value than either Laurence's or Lydgate's
translation. The dedicatory- epistle to Mainardo dei Caval-
canti, written in 1363,* and Boccaccio's preface were translated
by Laurence, but the former appears as such only in his first
and more literal version; and although he worked parts of it
into the preface of his second version, very little was pre-
served by Lydgate, who also omitted the long dedication by
Laurence to the Duke of Berry.
At the present day Boccaccio is known best as the earliest
and greatest master of Italian prose, as the author of charming
lyrical poems and interludes, and of the first heroic epic in
the language; he is hardly known at all as the moralist, historian
and man of science of the prose Latin works, De Genealogia
Deorum, De Claris Mulieribus, De Montibus, and De Casibus
Firorum Illustrium, all of which were compiled or written
during the latter part of his life. The history and natural
* See Boccaccio's preface, " Exquirenti mei" etc., p. xlvii. below.
' Comp. Boccaccio's preface and Hauvette, loc. cit., p. 347.
* See the beginning (first few hundred lines) of Book VI.
* See Hauvette, p. 392.
xii Introductory Note
science of the fourteenth century have Httle interest for us
now except as antiquarians; the moral and poHtical doctrines
of De Casihus are commonplace and could hardly have been
considered very remarkable even at the time they were written,
and its art, in spite of its dramatic form and the power of its
bitter satire, is not distinguished enough to hold it above the
level of the books that perish for all but a few curious stu-
dents and collectors. But from the fourteenth to the end of
the sixteenth century the case was very different. Although the
Decameron had been translated into French by Laurence in
141 1, there was no public then capable either of comprehend-
ing its historical importance or appreciating its style; and the
indelicacy of a few of its stories, no greater than that of many
other popular tales of the time, was certainly not such as to cause
any great commotion except in ecclesiastical circles, outraged
far less by indecency than by the satire of the priesthood. So
it was inevitable that, as far as his contemporaries and imme-
diate successors were concerned, Boccaccio's fame as a writer
should rest chiefly on his Latin works; and it was as a moral-
ist and man of profound learning that he was best known and
respected. To judge by the number of existing manuscripts,
the De Casibus had an exceedingly large circulation. It was
the sort of book that would especially appeal to the great
personages of the time: it told about people just like them-
selves; and although very naturally it taught them nothing —
as if the impulses and desires of men were controlled by
either precept or example — it at any rate interested them.
They were all exposed to the vicissitudes of fortune, and,
the world being then very much as it is to-day, many of them
became victims of the same disasters that had afflicted and
destroyed their predecessors;^ and it was no doubt a source
1 En plus d'une occasion, dans les deux cents annees qui ont suivi la compo-
sition de cet ouvrage, le De Casibus a pu servir de reconfort moral a des mal-
heureux. Pour ne citer qu'un exemple, nous savons qu'au XV"^ siecle le due
Charles d'Orleans, retenu prisonnier en Anglcterre, se fit envoyer pour charmer
les loisirs de sa captivite un exemplaire du traite de Boccace. — Durrieu,
loc. cit., pp. 20, 21, who refers to Leopold Delisle, Le Cabinet des manuscrits de
la Bibliotheque nationale, Paris, 1 868-1881, I. p. 106. Even in the middle of
the sixteenth century, Hieronymus Ziegler, editor and translator of the De
Casibus, an able man and no pedant, wrote, " Ich habe nie etwas gelesen was
mehr Vergnugen und Belehrung gewahrt." — Marcus Landau, Boccaccio, Stutt-
gart, 1877, p. 218.
Introductory Note xiii
of consolation to some of them, when their hour of trial came,
to read about the tribulations of others. And as many of
these great people were unable to read Latin, it is quite evident
that Laurence was certain of a large and influential public
for his translation.
Laurence,^ who took his name from the village of Premier-
fait near Arcis-sur-Aube, was clerk of the diocese of Troyes,
a competent writer in French and a Latin scholar, and in the
eyes of his contemporaries a poet and orator of distinction.
He seems to have made his living chiefly by translating, and
his first and more literal version of De Casibus was finished
on November 13, 1400, and dedicated to Duke Louis of Bour-
bon. At about this time he became a confidential advisor
and clerk to Jean Chanteprime, conseiller du roi de France.
In 1405 he translated Cicero's De Senectiite into French for
Duke Louis of Bourbon. Between 1405 and 1409 he translated
De Amicitia and completed his second version of De Casibus *
for the Duke of Berry while living in the house of Bureau de
Dammartin, tresorier de France. During the years 1411-14
he translated the Decameron, and in 141 7 Aristotle's Eco-
nomics; a version of Martin Dumiense's De quatuor virtutibus
is also attributed to him. He died in Paris in 1418, "annee
terrible de massacres, d'epidemie et de misere," and was
buried in the Cimetiere des Innocents.'
Of Laurence's first version there are but few manuscripts ^
and only two printed editions, that of Colard Mansion, Bruges,
1476, and the Lyons edition of 1483. Considering the atti-
tude of translators of his time to their originals, it is a
comparatively complete and straightforward rendering, and
^ For the above details in regard to Laurence I am indebted to A. Hortis,
Studi sulle opere latine del Boccaccio, Trieste, 1879, p. 618 fF.; Durrieu, loc.
cit., p. 19 fF. See also Hauvette, De Laureniio de Primofato (thesis), Paris,
1903, and Recbercbes sur le " De Casibus virorum illustrium" de Boccace, Paris,
1901 {Extrait du volume " Entre camarades" publie par la SociHe des anciens
ileves de la Faculte des Lettres de l' Universiu de Paris).
* Cy fine le liure de Jehan Boccace des cas des nobles hommes et femmes
translate de latin en Francois par moy laurens de premierFait clerc du diocese
de troies et Fut complie ceste translacion le XV' jour d'auril mil IIII et IX.
Cest assauoir le lundi apres pasques. — Various MSS. Some add the word
"closes" to "pasques."
' Durrieu, p. 21.
* In the British Museum, Additional 11,696 and Harley 621.
xiv Introductory Note
includes Boccaccio's dedicatory epistle to Mainardo dei Caval-
canti. In his second version Laurence enlarged his earlier
work, extending it to more than double its original length by
the addition of geographical and historical notes and explana-
tions, interpolating all manner of odd pieces of information
from the books he had read — Justin, Florus, Livy, Vincent,
Valerius Maximus and others — with the result that much of
the dramatic form and power of the original is lost. Although
he omitted Boccaccio's epistle to Mainardo, he nevertheless
used parts of it as material for his own preface, and added a
long dedication to the Duke of Berry, in which he discussed
the question of man's relation to fortune, the abuses of the
church and priesthood, the conduct of the nobility and the
condition of the agricultural labourers.^
As Durrieu points out, the work thus transformed became
for the French reader "not only a subject for moral discussions
and a suitable guidance for the restoration of courage in
adversity, but a collection of facts and anecdotes, of curious
information about countries and men, and almost a picture
in perspective of universal history from Adam and Eve up to
the middle of the fourteenth century." It was considered
to be an original work rather than a translation, and its success
was great. Copied and recopied many times during the entire
fifteenth century, it was printed in Paris by Jean du Pre in
1483, in the next year for Antoine Verard, again for Verard
(n. d., but after 1503), by Michel le Noir in 1515, by Nicolas
Couteau in 1538, and finally superseded by a new version
by Claude Witart, which appeared in 1578. Magnificent
manuscript copies^ were in the possession of the last dukes
of the house of Burgundy, from Jean sans Peur to Charles le
Temeraire, of Jacques d'Armagnac, duke of Nemours, le
Grand batard de Bourgogne, Queen Charlotte of Savoy, wife of
^ See p. liv. fF.
2 See Paulin Paris, Les Manuscrits Francois de la Bibliothique du Roi, Paris,
1836-38; Leopold Delisle, Le Cabinet des Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque Im-
periale (Nationale), Paris, 1868-81; Hortis, loc. cit., p. 933-938. The manu-
scripts of Laurence's second version in the British Museum are Royal 18.
D. VIL, Royal 20. C. IV., Royal 14. E. V., Add. 18,750 and Add. 35.321, of
which the last mentioned has been described by Sir Edward Maunde Thomp-
son in the Burlington Magazine, Vol. VIL (1905), pp. 198-210, with repro-
ductions of six half-page miniatures.
Introductory Note xv
Louis XL, Louis' sister, Jeanne de France, duchess of Bourbon,
his illegitimate daughter, Jeanne, countess of Rousillon, Jean
d' Orleans, count of Angouleme (grandfather of Francis L),
Louise of Savoy (mother of Francis L), Catherine d' Alen^on,
Henry VIL of England, and many others.^ A beautifully
illuminated codex was presented to the Duke of Berry towards
the end of 1410 by Martin de Gouges, bishop of Chartres,*
and there is a manuscript in the National Library, Munich (de-
scribed by Durrieu in the work already referred to), with many
large miniatures attributed to Jean Foucquet (141 5-1485), the
most distinguished French painter of the fifteenth century.
The Duke of Berry,' for whom Laurence translated the
De Casihus and Decameron, was bom November 30, 1340,
third son of king John IL In 1356 he was created Count
of Poitiers and made king's lieutenant in southern France,
and later on received the province of Languedoc. He sup-
pressed a revolt of the peasants with barbaric severity, col-
lected a fine of £15,000 from the states of the province, fought
against the Flemings at Rosebeke in 1382, was active in sup-
pressing the Parisian revolts, and by his bungling and pro-
crastination is said to have caused the failure of a naval expe-
dition planned against England in 1386. In 1389 Charles VI.
went to Languedoc to investigate his uncle's government,
with the result that the duke was disgraced and his agent
Betisac burnt. And although he was restored in 1401, he did
not dare show himself in the province, but delegated his author-
ity to Bernard d'Armagnac. He died in Paris, June 15, 1416,
"leaving vast treasures of jewelr\% objects of art, and especially
of illuminated MSS., many of which have been preserved." *
* Comp. Durrieu, p. 24. ' Hortis, loc. cit., p. 621.
* See L. Raynal, Histoire du Berry, Bourges, 1845.
* Encyclopedia Britannica, article on the Duke of Bern*. Hiver de Beau-
voir says in his La Librairie de Jean Due de Berry au Chateau de Mebun-sur-
Tevre, Paris, i860, p. i, "Jean, due de Berrj-, frere de Charles V, fut le prince
le plus magnifique de son temps, s'inquietant peu des moyens des qu'il s'agis-
sait de batir, et sourtout d'amasser des reliquaires et des joyaux d'eglise, pour
lesquels sa passion alia jusqu'a la manie." And in Leopold Delisle, loc. cit., I.
p. 58, we read, "On savait partout, en France et meme a I'etranger, le bonheur
que le due de Berry eprouvait a posseder des livres et la munificence avec
laquelle il recompensait les cadeaux qui lui etaient faits. Aussi s'empressait-
on de lui ofFrir des volumes dont la beaute devait flatter les plus delicat des
bibliophiles du XIV' et du XV' siecle."
xvi Introductory Note
He was fiercely satirized in Le Songe veritable, an anonymous
pamphlet of the fifteenth century, for, as Henri Moranville
tells us, in order to satisfy his expensive tastes, "le due de
Berry, dans les lieutenances royales qui lui furent confiees,
n'hesita jamais a accabler d'exactions de tous genres les popu-
lations soumises, bien malgre elles, a son autorite. Aussi la
reputation de ce prince etait-elle execrable de son temps;
on n'ignorait point ses gouts dispendieux et on les haissait,
parce qu'on en soufFrait cruellement. . . . Apres lui avoir retire
tres justement la lieutenance en Languedoc a la suite de scan-
dales financiers, oil Betisac avait paye pour son maitre, on
avait eu le tort de la lui rendre. Aussi, n'ayant plus de frein,
depensait-il enormement, ruinant le domaine, absorbant le
revenu des aides; I'argent fondait litteralement entre ses mains
et enrichissait d'indignes favoris. Froissart a raconte qu'il
s'etait pris d'une inexplicable affection pour un tailleur de
chausses; le Songe veritable parle d'un paveur. " ^
Laurence's long dedication, in which he expresses his indig-
nation aroused by the abuses of the church, the bad behaviour
of the nobility and the sufferings of the agricultural labourers,
must have had a peculiar interest for the Duke of Berry;
although it is quite probable that he read it much as it pleases
one to think that the good Duke Humphrey, who appears to
have been equally egoistic, avaricious, untrustworthy, intriguing
and dissolute, read Lydgate's gravely offered moral and polit-
ical wisdom, with serious and wholly detached interest. It
is an irony of Boccaccio's fate that the translations of his
De Casibus should have been dedicated to two such men. It
is also obvious that both the French and the English versions
differed greatly from the original, no less in spirit than in
style. As already mentioned, Boccaccio's book was not only
more dramatic and concise, but, in spite of its pretentious
and artificial manner, which was fashionable at the time, a far
more powerful and able work, the work of a great man. The
chief effect of Laurence's remarkable capacity for making in-
terpolations was only to impair the literary value of the origi-
nal, however much it may have added to its interest for con-
^ Henri Moranville, Le Songe veritable, pamphlet politique d'un parisien
du XV* siecle. In Memoires de la Societe de I'Histoire de Paris et de Vlle-de-
France, Vol. XVII. (1890), Paris, 1891, p. 227.
Introductory Note xvit
temporary readers; and Lydgate, his translator, suffering under
the same inability to let well enough alone, might have made
matters still worse had it not been for his choice of verse
instead of prose, his echoes of Chaucer, and the occasional
intrusion of his by no means unsympathetic personality. As
it is, Lydgate's version is very superior to that of Laurence
and can at least be looked upon as the work of one who,
had he written less, might have been an artist, an implica-
tion into which there was never any danger of Laurence's
falling.^
In regard to the spirit of the three authors, especially their
reaction to their environments, it can be said with reasonable
certainty that Laurence was not much of an idealist or very
distinguished intellectually: he added no original thought to
the work, except perhaps his prefaced plea for the agricul-
tural labourers, who, as we know, were so badl}' treated as to
endanger their efficiency; and if this plea was the utterance of
a kind heart, as no doubt it was, rather than an expression of
precocious utilitarianism, nevertheless his loyalty and reverence
for the great personages of the day were no less unquestioned
than his approval of the social and political system under which
they lived; and his willingness to kick the dead lions of the
past, after Boccaccio had kicked them, both dead and alive,
hardly betrayed a disposition to rashness. Still, he did not
hesitate to condemn in general terms what he considered
wrong, and took advantage of every occasion to lament the
tyranny and avarice of the feudal lords, laity and ecclesias-
tics, and the unhappy condition of the people; and although
he appears occasionally to have reproved the nobility (with-
out being too specific), his tone is moderate, supplicating,
seldom admonitory; his wish was to serve and instruct, and
he never grew weary of telling his princes that neither their
position nor their lives would be secure unless they were willing
^ "Tuttoche il Lydgate modestamente si contentasse d'essere tenuto per
traduttore del Premierfait, 11 suo lavoro puo dirsi opera originale. Egli aveva
anima da poeta, e lo manifesta gia I'ardito pensiero di tradurre in versi un'
opera di prosa. Da poeta, egli modifica, come piu gli toma, I'ordine de' capi-
toli, e allarga e rawiva il testo francese, abbastanza prosaico, che gli sta di-
nanzi. Un concetto filosofico egli abbellisce con leggiadre similitudini tolte per
lo piu da' fiori o dalle gemrae; le storie e le leggende rende piacevoli con parti-
colarita immaginose, poetiche," etc. — Hortis, p. 649.
xviii Introductory Note
to defend the people and preserve them in their well-being and
safety.^
Boccaccio studied his princes from a wholly different point
of view. They were to him objects of hostility and bitter
scorn, for whom he had neither sympathy nor respect.'^ As
he said in his dedicatory Epistle to Mainardo, there was none
living, pope, emperor, or king, to whom he cared to dedicate
his book. They made him sick.* And he believed that as a
result of their luxury, magnificence and pride, their avarice,
idleness and licentiousness, their hatred of one another and
desire for revenge, all honesty, justice and virtue were lost,
and that by the example of their superiors the people were
contaminated and led into evil customs.^ So he wrote, hoping
to bring the erring to the right path, to suppress vices, to
arouse the indolent from their slumber, and to incite all men
* Hortis, p. 627.
' Qualiter hoc faciant principes hodierni, viderit Deus. In Tyrannidem
versi sunt regii mores, et despecta impotentia subditorum: auro, gemmisque
splendere uolunt, longo seruientium ordine circumdari, palatia in excelsum
erigere, grege pellicum, et histrionum, deformi sodalicio oblectari: obscoeni-
tatibus aures complere, conuiuia in longissimam noctem deducere, ebrietati-
bus, atque ignominiosis libidinibus vacare, dies in somnos profundissimos
perdere, populos in suam salutem uiglles permanere: et bella non iure, sed
iniuria sumere, magnificum arbitrantur: consilia proborum respuere, sibi
tantiim credere: bonos deprimere, improbos extoUere: ciuitates vectigalibus
onerare, ciues torquere, in exilium agere, trucidare, & luti more calce calcare.
O scelestum malum, 0 praedonum, lurconumque, ne regum dicam, inhonesta,
& horrenda facinora. O longa, immo vecors pacientia populorum, & stolida
confidentia dominorum, si putent, dum talia peragunt, a populis sibi obsequi
cum fide. Quaeso cum videam eum, cui honorem meum, libertatem, maiesta-
tem, officium, prseeminentiam omnem concessi: cui obsequium iussus im-
pendo, cui desudo, cuius substantias meas imparcior, cuius in salutem sangui-
nem effundo meum, in extenuationem, desolationem, vituperium, & perniciem
inuigilare meam: sanguinem sitire, haurire, emungere, inhonestis fceminis,
& perditissimis quibuscunque hominibus prodige facultates (quibus susten-
tare egenos, et miserabiles debuerant) efFundere, atque disperdere: & in con-
silium niti pessimum, & pessimis operibus delectari: ac circa salutem publi-
cam segnem, torpentem, desidemque video, regem dicam? principem colam?
tamquam domino fidem seruabo? absit. Hostis est, in hunc coniurare, arma
capessere, insidias tendere, vires opponere magnanimi est, sanctissimum est,
&omnino necessarium. Cum nulla fere deo sit acceptior hostia Tyranni san-
guine: durum quippe, & importabile pro meritisiniuriam reportare. Recalci-
trent quantum libet reges, si centies negent, regnant tamen sufFragio populorum,
eorumque vires illos formidabiles faciunt. Quasi minus iuste caedibus, aut
iniuriis extenuent, suum sentient confestim diminutum imperium. — De Cas-
ibus, II. s, In Superbos, from Hieronymus Ziegler's edition, Augsburg, 1544.
> See Epistle to Mainardo. * Comp. Boccaccio's preface.
Introductory Note xix
to virtue; but unlike Laurence and Lydgate, he wrote not
for the personal advantage of the princes, for whose benefit
his translators believed their subjects existed, but for the
welfare of the community.^
Boccaccio was also responsible for an attack on women in
the eighteenth chapter of Book II., In Mulieres, which deserves
more than passing reference. We know that invectives and
satires of women were especially popular during the Middle
Ages. Stories, many of them of oriental origin, such as were
included in collections like the Disciplina Clericalis of Petrus
Alfunsi (baptised in 1106), the influence of asceticism, of
sentiments similar to those expressed in the latter part of the
third chapter of Isaiah, and of writers like the thirteenth
century Franciscan, Brother Jacopone da Todi,- whose Lauda
viii., "O femene, guardate," is still delightful to read, helped
to create an atmosphere in which Boccaccio found himself
even more at home than Guido delle Colonne, author of the
"Troy Book," had been a century earlier. For towards the
end of 1354, a few years before the De Casibus was begun, he
at the age of forty-one was most unkindly rebuffed and ridi-
culed by a young widow to whom he had been imprudent
enough to write declaring his affection. At first, as Hauvette
tells the story, he was overcome with mortification, and fancied
that he could see the passers-by pointing their fingers at him
in the street — he could even hear their smothered laughter —
for the rebuff had included personal remarks of a gross nature,
and he was grey and precociously stout; but as time went on
his mortification gave way to anger, which, according to
^ "II Boccaccio, cittadino di una libera repubblica, da lungo dimentico del
feudalistno, aveva co' propri occhi veduto il mal govemo de' principi d' allora,
e la cacciata di uno che aveva tentato di farsi tiranno in Firenze. Dallo studio
amoroso e intelligente dell'antichita latina egli aveva acquistato un modo
di pensare democratico e pagano, che s'accordava mirabilmente col suo amore
d'indipendenza. II Premierfait legge tutti gli autori, ma de' profani e classici
s'appropria le notizie, non il modo di pensare. I suoi libri erano chiesti e letti
dai principi; ma nelle opere del Boccaccio, piu spesso che panegirici, i prin-
cipi potevano leggere la propria satira." — Hortis, p. 626.
• For Brother Jacopone, see two admirable articles in the " Times Literary
Supplement" of April 15 and December 23, 1920. The Laude have been
edited by Giovanni Ferri and published by the Societd Filologica Romano,
Rome, 1910, as well as in the series Scritiori d' Italia, Bari, 1915, and there are
translations, together with the texts, of many of them in Evelyn Underbill's
"Jacopone da Todi," London, 1919.
XX Introductory Note
Hauvette, " fut tres vif, et se manifesta tout d'abord par un
immense desir de vengeance." So he sat down and wrote his
Corhaccio, an unimaginative and unpleasantly interesting book,
and was apparently still very angry when he wrote the In
Mulieres chapter.of the De Casibus, in which, returning to the
same subject, he presents us with another instructive, if one-
sided, description of the artifices employed for various purposes
by the women of fashion of his time. However, as we have
seen, he did not spare the men, nor, for that matter, did Brother
Jacopone; their blows were equitably distributed.
The attitude of Lydgate to his surroundings, and especially
to his princes, was quite different from that of either Boccac-
cio or Laurence. Although always ready to counsel and advise,
and, when he considered it necessary, to admonish, he was
never rude, like Boccaccio, nor servile, like Laurence, but wrote
throughout as a man of the world, an aristocrat and courtier,
whose contempt for the political capacity of the people was
exceeded only by Boccaccio's scorn for the political and moral
accomplishments of their sovereigns. He omitted most of
Boccaccio's censure of the clerics, which Laurence had allowed
to remain in his versions, and showed himself by his fierceness to
heretics much less tolerant in religious matters than the great
Italian. Neither foolish nor ill-bred enough to take his "manly
and wise" patron to task for his infidelities and excesses, he
nevertheless stood out firmly enough for the domestic virtues
and did not hesitate to tell princes, at least in the abstract,
to lead sober, industrious lives and to set aside their concu-
bines.^ Murder, poison, bloodthirstiness and tyranny (p. 310),
deceit (p. 323), dishonesty (p. 416), slander and hasty belief
in it (p. 126), pride (pp. 38, 170), suspicion, ingratitude (p. 655),
bad behaviour to the church (p. 278), covetousness (p. 432),
and vulgar materialism (p. 399), are among the things which
he mentions with special reprobation in his envoys.
In spite of his expressed opinion that the people were there
chiefly for the personal advantage of their rulers,* he never-
theless believed that if a man of humble origin is ordained by
God to be a king he will succeed in overcoming the resistance
of all earthly princes; ^ for nobility is by the grace of God and
' Pp. 299, 360. " Comp., for example, L 1393.
3 See the stories of Nimrod, I. 1282, and Cyrus, III. 2962.
Introductory Not£ xxi
not by blood, and poverty is no bar to royalty; nor can any-
thing good ever come of an evil stock. His attitude towards
women remains the same as it was in the "Troy Book: " some
of Boccaccio's remarks he leaves out; for others he apologises.
It must be remembered, however, that Boccaccio also qualified
his apparently sweeping assertions, and that not only the senti-
ments expressed on pages i88 and 189, but the very words, are
his as well as Lydgate's. An old and not very brilliant jest on
marriage makes its appearance apropos of the story of Orpheus;
but it evidently pleased Lydgate and his readers (the lines are
marked in approval in several MSS.), just as Dr. Thomas Lisle's
version is said to have pleased Benjamin Franklin, and, as we
have reason to believe, it pleases certain of the public to-day.^
Although Lydgate's work was much admired by his con-
temporaries and immediate successors and enjoyed at least
one hundred and fifty years of popularity, no one in more
recent times, so far as I am aware, except Thomas Gray in his
"Remarks," who was hardly enthusiastic, and Mrs. Brown-
ing, * who approved of him for other than purely aesthetic
reasons, has given him much praise as an artist. A writer who
usually contrives to spoil even his most felicitous passages
before he has done with them, who systematically pads out
his lines with stock phrases and rhyme-tags, and pours out
unending streams of verse during apparently the whole of a
very long life, cannot well be taken seriously as one of the
great poets. We search his works in vain for evidence either
of imagination or originality, of sympathetic insight into char-
acter, sensibility, delicacy of feeling or a fine instinct for form;
nor is he distinguished for more purely intellectual qualities.
On occasion he shows that he has power and rises to a
sombre dignity of manner, well seen in parts of the " Fall of
Princes"' and in the Daunce of Macbabree, and this, together
with a strain of melancholy, which was in the air at the time
and a few years later inspired Francois Villon to his finest
^ For Dr. Thomas Lisle and " The Power of Music," see " The London
Mercury," Vol. V., p. 295. For a modem instance, see the "At Random"
column of "The Observer," February 27, 1921.
*In "The Book of the Poets." Comp. Schick, p. dvii.
•See the Envoy on Rome, IL 4460, the Envoy on Ciesar, especially the
latter part, VL 2871, the Envoy on Charles of Anjou, IX. 2017, and the
Chapter and Envoy on King John of France, IX. 3134.
xxii Introductory Note
work, is perhaps his strongest point. No doubt in his day
he was highly commended for both pathos and humour; but
the latter when not unconscious is as a rule little more than
clumsy playfulness, and the former too obvious and exagger-
ated to make any deep impression on the reader (although
Thomas Gray seems to have thought highly of it)/ and neither
is sufficient to make a poet. However, considering his intel-
lectual environment, his position, and his public, he surely did
all that can reasonably be expected of him. The rude men of
action of the time were slow-witted and uneducated; even the
clerks, if we are to judge, as we must, by their literary per-
formances, were a singularly prosaic lot, and taste was evi-
dently unknown in their circles. As Gray remarked, "it is a
folly to judge of the understanding and of the patience of
those times by our own. They [the reading public] loved,
I will not say tediousness, but length and a train of circum-
stances in a narration." They got both in the "Fall of
Princes." Even Boccaccio laid aside much of his genius when
he began to write histories for the edification of the men of the
world of his day; and whatever qualities of greatness the work
possesses lie rather in the hammer blows of its subject-matter
than in the art either of the author or of his translators.
On the other hand, the " Fall of Princes" is a document of
considerable historical and philological importance. Taken
together with the original Latin and Laurence's French trans-
lation, it does indeed illumine the intellectual life of its day,*
if only faintly, for the thought reflected on the pages of both
Laurence and Lydgate is unfortunately that of a very narrow
and conservative group and cannot be considered as represen-
tative of the best minds of the time. The most that may be
said of either of them is that he was able to recognize that, in
general, men reap what they have sown.
From the philological point of view the book is of interest,
in part because we may assume that the language in which
it was written is the English of the most highly educated classes
of its period, in part because, just as in the case of the " Troy
^ Gray says that Lydgate, in the Epistle of Canace, " has touched the very
heart-springs of compassion with so masterly a hand, as to merit a place among
the greatest poets."
* Comp. Hortis, p. 654.
Introductory Note xxiii
Book," many words borrowed early in the fifteenth century
from the French make their first documented appearance on its
pages. Practically the entire literature of the " Fall of Princes "
has yet to be investigated. There is no modem edition either
of Boccaccio or of Laurence; neither the one nor the other
has been printed since the sixteenth century; no adequate
study of their sources has been published; and except for
Dr. Koeppel's short essay/ we have no account of Lydgate's
sources or of the influence of his work on succeeding writers.
The most recent edition of the " Mirror for Magistrates " is
Haslewood's of 1815.
The text of the present edition is based on MS. Bodley
263 (B), collated throughout with the British Museum MSS.
Royal 18. D. iv. (R) and Harley 1245 (H), and in part
(especially in regard to doubtful points) with MSS. Royal
18. B. xxxi. (R 3), Harley 4203 (H 5), and the Rylands-
Jersey MS. (J). Use has also been made of Sloane 4031, Add.
21,410, the Phillips-Garrett MS. in the Library of Princeton
University, and Tottel's print, which, considering the time
of its publication, is most excellent and derived from a good
manuscript. The "Envoy to Gloucester" (IX. 3303-3540),
the "Last Envoy" (IX. 3541-3588), and six stanzas missing
from the story of Lucrece (II. 1058-1099) have been supplied
from Harley 1766, a unique abridged but early MS., and one
stanza of the Villon-like "Envoy on Rome" (11. 4460 flp.)
is from Tottel, collated with the Phillips-Garrett MS.
In preparing the text for the press I have supplied capital
letters when necessar>' and punctuated according to modern
usage; but I have not noted blunders or slips of the pen
that were subsequently corrected by the original copyist
unless they are of special interest. All alterations in spelling
by the editor are noted, with one exception: the awkward
form "wordly" of the Bodley copyist, for which I have con-
sistently substituted "worldly"; and all other changes in the
text are marked by asterisks. The numerous hooks and flour-
ishes of the scribe, which, when they signify only a final e
(and often they are quite meaningless), have not as a rule
been expanded unless the e is of more than graphical sig-
nificance. For the crossed i?'s, ^'s, /'s and double /'s, I have
1 Munich, 1885.
xxiv Introductory Note
substituted plain letters, except when the horizontal stroke
actually stands for a contraction, as, for example, "Boch"
with crossed h = Bochaj, "who" and *'hy" with ^'s crossed =
whom and hyw, "makyg" with crossed k = makywg. The
crossed / is usually a contraction for a following e, as is also
the crossed double /; the latter, which is commonly used in
manuscripts of the period to represent Wes, is rarely, if at all,
employed for that purpose in B. The occasional horizontal
strokes over w's and ns and us are as a rule omitted to
avoid confusion, and expanded only when actually necessary,
as is certainly not the case in such words as Chaucer, up,
favour, or dismembred.
In the following brief survey of the contents of the " Fall
of Princes" the references are to the pages, and passages of
special interest or charm are marked with asterisks.
Book I. Prologue; * Adam and Eve, 13; Nimrod, 28;
* Against the Pride of Princes, 36; Saturn and the Process
of Time, 39; Zoroaster, Ninus, Moses, 42; Ogygus, Isis, 45;
Erysichthon, Danaus, Philomela and Procne, 49; Cadmus,
51; ^etes, Jason, Theseus, Scilla, Nisus, 60; Sisera, Deborah,
Gideon, 79; Jabin, 86; CEdipus, 87; *Atreus and Thyestes,
106; The Story of Theseus, 118; * Envoy on Hasty Credence,
126; Facetious defence of Woman accused by Bochas of
unstableness, 132; On the Suspicion and Dread of Lords,
134; Althaea and Meleager, 136; Hercules, 141 (lines 5104
fF. are excellent); Narcissus, Byblis, Myrrha, Orpheus (play-
ful lines about marriage), 156; Marpessa, Priam and Troy
Book, 166; *Against the Pride of Those who Trust in Riches,
170; * In Praise of Poverty, 172; * Samson, 179; * Chapter
on the Malice of Women, 184; Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, 190;
Canace and Macareus, 193; * The Letter of Canace, 194.
Book II. Saul, 204; On the Virtue of Obedience, 214; Reho-
boam, 216; On the Governance of Princes (analogy of human
body to body politic), 221; Mucius Scaevola, Lucrece (first
appearance), 225; Appius and Virginia, 237; Jeroboam, Zerah,
Ahab, Athaliah, 240; Dido, 253; * Satirical Envoy to Wid-
ows by Lydgate, 262; * Sardanapalus, On Virtuous Industry,
263; * Amaziah and Uzziah, Jehoash (good lines on the Cypress
and the PufF-Ball), 272; Hoshea, Sennacherib, Zedekiah, 278;
The Story of Cyrus' Youth (nobility comes by grace of God
not by blood, poverty no bar to a throne), 283; * Candaules
and Gyges, 294; Midas, Belshazzar, Envoy advising Princes
to set aside their Concubines, 296; Croesus and Cyrus, the
Introductory Note xxv
end of Cyrus, 300; Romulus and Remus, 311; * On the Abuse
of Deifying Men, 318; Metius SufFetius, 319; * Against De-
ception, Hostilius, 323; * Envoy on Rome, 325.
Book III. * Prologue; the Strife between Fortune and
Glad Poverty (tedious except for a few lighter touches), 333;
Hostilius, Ancus Marcius, Lucinio, 349; Lucrece (second
appearance), 355; * Bochas on the Immorality of Princes,
360; Cambyses, Smerdis, Oropastes, Otanes, Darius, 374;
Coriolanus, 381; Miltiades, 386; Envoy on the Fickleness
of the People; Xerxes, Leonidas, 390; * On the Vulgar Materi-
alism of Men, 399; Artabanus and Darius, 402; Phalanthus
and his Spartans, 405; Ceso Quintius, Cloelius Gracchus, 410;
* On the Tyranny of Appius, 413 ; On the Dishonesty of Judges
and The Former Age (some interesting lines), 416; * An Ex-
clamation against Dishonest Officials, 419; Alcibiades, 420;
* Exclamation on the Death of Alcibiades, 430; * On Worldly
Covetousness and Ambition, 432; * In Praise of Industrious
Men, On Poets, 434; Machaeus, Himilco, Hanno, 437; * Against
Covetous People, 447; Evagoras of C^'prus, Theo of Egypt,
Amyntas, Philip of Macedon, Epam nondas, 454; Haman and
Mordecai, Esther, 462; Artaxerxes and Cyrus, Darius, An
Envoy on Fraternal Strife, 465.
Book IV. * Prologue on Poets and Writing, 473; Marcus
Manlius, Roman Crowns and Wreaths, 479; A description of
Roman Triumphs, the Tarpeian Rock, 487; Nectanebes,
Pausanias, Heliarchus, 492; * Dionysius of Syracuse, Envoy
on Tyranny, on Princes who hold themselves Gods, 495; Poly-
crates, 500; Alexander and Callisthenes, 504; Alexander of
Epirus, 513; Darius and Alexander the Great, 517; * Envoy
on Darius, 527; On the Misery and Ruin of W'ar, the Heirs
of Alexander, Eumenes, Antigonus, 528; Envoy on Sudden
Adversity, * Queen Olympias, 536; Envoy on Murder and
Vengeance, 543; Agathocles (a crown of gold is not suitable
for the head of a knave; a crowned ass is more to dread than
a lion), 545; Envoy — ever\' creature takes after his parents'
stock, 553; Cassander, Bersane, Antipater, Peucestas, Amyn-
tas, Sandrocottus, 554; Seleucus and Antiochus, Arsinoe and
Ceraunus, * Envoy on Fortune's Variance, 562; Ceraunus
slain by the Gauls, Brennus, who had no respect for the gods,
Pyrrhus of Epirus, Aristotimus, 569; Arsinoe, wife of Magas,
and Demetrius, her daughter's husband. 582.
Book V. Bochas' Disdain of those who set all their Joy to
excel in Beauty, Spurina, * Envoy on the Fragility of Worldly
Fairness, 585; Seleucus and Antiochus, 5S8; Laodameia of
Sicily, Cleomenes, Hiero of Syracuse, Xanthippus, 592; Marcus
Regulus, 597; Ptolemy Philopator, Britomaris, 608; Syphax
and Masinissa, Hasdrubal, Scipio, 614; Nabis of Macedonia,
617; The Wars between Rome and Carthage, 619; Perseus
xxvi Introductory Note
of Sparta, the Destruction of Corinth, 621; Seleucus and
Antiochus, Laodice and the Ring and Anchor, 626; Hieronymus
of Syracuse, the Ingratitude of the Romans to the Scipios,
6^0; Philopoemen, 634; the Story of Hannibal, 638; Prusias
of Bithynia, Persa of Macedon, Azariah, Andriscus (a cur is
more impudent than a lion), Alexander Balas, 645; An Envoy
on Ingratitude; Caius and Tiberius Gracchus, Hasdrubal's
wife, Jonathan Maccabeus, Demetrius 11. , Zebina, Bituitus,
655; Ptolemy Euergetes, Jugurtha, 666.
Book VI. * Fortuna appears to Bochas; they converse to-
gether, 675; Fortuna tells Bochas about Saturninus, Marius,
Drusus, Fanaticus, Spartacus, Viriathus, Orodes and Pompey,
689; Marius and Sulla, 701; Mithridates, 711; Envoy on
Worldly Variance, Eucratides of Scythia, Orodes and Crassus,
Fymbria, Adrian of low degree, usurper of Rome, Sothimus,
Description of Thrace, 720; Pompey and the Wars with Caesar,
729; Pompey's Death, Julius Caesar, Juba, * A Digression on
Clothes, the last Scipio, Pompey's son Pompey, 743; the
Death of Caesar, Envoy on Caesar, Octavian, TuUy, 751; A
Chapter on Rhetoric and Oratory, 763; Sextus Pompey,
Antony and Cleopatra, 769.
Book VII. Antony's son, Antony, Caesarion, Julia, Agrippa,
Cassius, * Herod, Herod Antipas, 775; * The Words between
Messalina, Caligula, and Tiberius, 784; * Nero, Eleazar, Galba,
Otho, * Vitellius, 791; Bochas on The Vice of Gluttony, *A
Description of the Golden World, 806; * The Destruction of
Jerusalem, 812.
Book VIII. * Petrarch appears to Bochas, 823; the Roman
Emperors, Domitian, Commodus, Severus, Antoninus, Macri-
nus, Antoninus Aurelius, Marcus Aurelius, Maximus, Gor-
dian, the two Philips, Decius, Gallus, Volusian, ^milian, Gallien,
* Valerian, Gallienus, Quintilius, Aurelian the Dane, Probus,
Clarus, 829; Zenobia, 842; Diocletian, Carausius, Maximian,
Galerius, Maxence, Licinius, Constantine and Crispus, 844;
Constans and Constantius, Vetranio, 853; * Constantine the
Great, 856; * Julian the Apostate, On Blasphemy and Oaths,
864; Valens, Theodosius I., Hermanric, Gratian, * Theodo-
sius the Great, 870; Alaric, Radagaisus, Rufinus, Stilicho,
Heraclius, Odoacer, and * On the Conduct of Kings, 882;
"Remembre o Rome," Trasilla, Busar, Philete, Symmachus,
Boethius, 894; * King Arthur and Britain, An Exclamation
against Men who are Unkind to their Kindred, 898; Gelimer,
Amarales, Sindbal, * Queen Rosamond, 913.
Book IX. The Emperor Maurice, * Muhammad, * Brun-
hilde, 919; Heraclius and Chosroes, Constantine, son of Hera-
clius, who was murdered in a stew, Gisulf and his wife Romilda,
Justinian Temerarius, Philippicus, an odious heretic, 933;
The Covetousness and Pride of the Priesthood, Four strangely
Introductory Note xxvii
dressed kings of Lombardy; Desiderius, Pope Joan, a woman
with child, Arnulph, natural son of Carloman, made unfortu-
nate by worms and lice, 942; Bochas against the Pride of
Princes, Pope John XII., Duke Charles of Lorraine confounded
by hunger, Salamon of Hungary, Diogenes Romanus, Robert
of Normandy, Josselyn of Rages, Andronicus I. Comnenus,
Envoy on Vicious Princes, 948; the Emperor Isaac, Robert
Surrentine, Tancred, Guy de Lusignan, John of Brienne,
Henry, son of Frederick II., A Commendation of Love be-
tween Kindred, 962; Manfred of Naples, Enzio of Sardinia,
A Water that makes Thieves Blind and an Herb that makes
People Laugh themselves to Death, Frederick, son of Alphonse
of Castile, Maumetus of Persia, and Argones, 970; Charles
of Lorraine, * Envoy to Charles, Ugolino of Pisa, Aiton of
Armenia, Pope Boniface VUL, who ate his hands, 972; The
Order of Templars, A Commendation of three Philosophers
for their Patience, A Commendation of Patience, Philip the
Fair and his Sons, 979; * Dante appears to Bochas and tells
him to write the Story of Duke Gaultier, 990; * Philippa
Catanensi, Louis of Jerusalem, * King John of France, 998;
* Envoy to John of France, * A Chapter of Fortune, Envoy
to Duke Humphrey, * The Last Envoy, Words of the Trans-
lator to his Book.
THE METRE
During the years that I have been occupied with the "Fall
of Princes" the conclusion has been forced upon me more and
more that Lydgate's decasyllabic lines are far better, in the
sense of being more capably written from a purely metri-
cal point of view, than some of his modern critics, who
evidently had no proper facilities for studying his work, were
able to discover. It is most improbable that his reputation
as a poet among his contemporaries and immediate successors
would have been as great as it was had he not had a good ear
for rhythm and been a competent and, in spite of the conven-
tion of exaggerated modesty which led him to speak always
in disparagement of his ability, skilful writer of metrical Eng-
lish. Nor is it easy to believe that his introduction of variety
into what would have been otherwise an intolerably monoto-
nous flow of regular decasyllabics was not both conscious
and intentional. As Mr. Bridges has pointed out in one of
his Oxford lectures on poetry, the fundamental motive of our
pleasure in the beauty of verse "may be described as a balance
between the expected and the unexpected," that "arises from
our knowledge of the normal rhythm (the t5^pe) beneath the
varieties which the poet delights to extend and elaborate; his
skill in this sort of embroidery being to push its disguises as
far as he dare without breaking away from the type." ^ It
has also been well said by Mr. Owen Barfield,^ that the music
of poetry is "a kind of elusive discrepancy between two
rhythms. Some rigidly regular metrical form is taken, . . .
and on to this, as on an iron frame, is fitted a soft fabric
of words already woven in a rhythm of their own . . . the
rhythm of natural speech or prose. . . . The two rhythms
clash and overlap, and subtly intersect in such a way that one
^Quoted from a review in the "Times Literary Supplement," July 4, 1918.
' "The New Statesman," January 15, 1921.
xxviii
The Metre xxix
delicate, unreal echo is struck out from their jarring; and this
is the main music of poetr}'." Accent is not constant, nor
ought it to be constant, for if perfectly regular the effect of
a long passage is ruined by its monotony.
Although such principles as these may not seem readily
applicable to the art of a writer who usually manages to ruin
his long passages in a wholly different and even less creditable
manner, they are nevertheless to be considered in his case
precisely as in that of any other writer of verse.
In the introductory note to the "Troy Book " I said that no
fault could legitimately be found with the metre so long as
Lydgate paid due regard to the swing of his dominant five
beats; and I was no less unable to agree then than I am now
with the opinion that because of his so-called broken-backed
line, which can be on occasion a very fine line indeed, and
the blunders of copyists he should be considered as inferior
as a metrist as he undoubtedly was as a poet and thinker.
If we are to do justice to Lydgate's metre, it is first of all
necessary for us to know what Lydgate wrote. Even in the
oldest manuscripts many lines occur in a distorted, mutilated
form, and there are invariably some lines which appear to
be defective in all manuscripts. It would be no less unfair to
make Lydgate responsible for lines like these, than difficult,
assuming that he did write them, to decide which of the alter-
native readings should be accepted as his. Another source of
uncertainty to the present-day editor, of which I shall have
occasion to speak later on, is a result of the increasing negli-
gence of copyists during the fifteenth centur^^, not only in
regard to such small matters as final ^'s, to which they gave
no attention whatever, and various prefixes and suffixes, but
sometimes extending to the insertion or omission of articles,
conjunctions and prepositions, like the and as, or for preceding
the to of the infinitive, and the alternative use of synonyms or
parallel word-forms having an unequal number of syllables.
A further cause of trouble, which should not be forgotten,
as it has had more influence, perhaps, than anything else in giv-
ing students false notions of Lydgate's metre and incidentally
has shown how little real knowledge of his style there has been
up to within comparatively recent times, is the attribution to
him of works he did not write, such, for example, as "The
XXX The Metre
Assembly of Gods," and shorter poems, like the admirable but
metrically corrupt "London Lickpenny." ^ Nor has the
reissue of texts, which, like the Secreta Secretorum, exist only
in a few late manuscripts and are naturally far from correct,
tended to improve matters.
Unfortunately the question of Lydgate's metre is made very
complicated by difficulties of the language; for unless we have
a fair idea of the pronunciation of his time and class and a
working know^ledge of Chaucer's metrical practice, especially
his use of the final e, for the analysis of which we are so
largely indebted to Bernhard ten Brink, we cannot expect to
get very far. To read Lydgate as if his language were present-
day English, as I have actually heard some people do, or even
to try to pronounce his lines as if they were written in French
(which is somewhat closer to the mark), is impossible and
absurd. At the best our attempts to reproduce his pronun-
ciation and that of his contemporaries amount to no more
than a very rough approximation. We are certain to do a
large amount of misrepresenting and to make a good many
mistakes; and I have often wondered, were Lydgate now
alive and for once inclined to do a little correcting on his own
account, what he would think of our efforts at criticism and
interpretation and of the various opinions that have been ex-
pressed at different times by scholars in regard to his metre.
We have in the " Fall of Princes " numerous examples of all
the "types" or "forms" of the decasyllabic line used by Lyd-
gate except the somewhat doubtful type with a trisyllabic first
measure. There are the normal type of ten or eleven syllables
(A), the line with an extra syllable before the caesura (B),
lines with a syllable missing directly after the caesura (C),
with the first syllable missing (D), and with both the first
syllable and the syllable after the caesura missing (a combi-
nation of C and D). There are very few examples of the
combination of B and D described in the "Troy Book" under
the heading 5, for most of these lines can be read as normal;
and I can find no absolutely certain examples of lines with a
1 See " The Lydgate Canon " by H. N. MacCracken, Miss Hammond's
parallel text reprint in Anglia, xx., p. 400, and the text of the eight-line ver-
sion in Sir Frederick Bridge's "The Old Cryes of London," Novello & Co.,
London, 192 i.
The Metre xxxi
trisyllabic first measure: it is questionable whether there are
any such in the " Fall of Princes."
The majority of the lines are of the ordinary type A, with
ten or eleven syllables:
I. 2. The book of Bochas in Frensh to translate
I. 3. Out of Latyn, he callid was Laurence, etc., etc.
Of type B there are also many examples:
I. 29. AfForn prouydid that no presumpcioun
II. 3361. Alas I was nat auysid weel befom
II. 3458. Besouhte Bachus sum remedi to shape
III. 1660. The temple off lupiter to robbe it be rauyne (syncope
of z in lupiter)
III. 3088. This litil tragedie doth shortli heer deuise (apocope of
U in liiU)
III- 3355- Wente into exil nat ferr fro that cuntre
HI- 3553- Cam out to meete hym upon a wol fair pleyn
III. 3612. A thyng most odious to eueri comounte (synizesis of
JO in odious)
VII. 206. An hundrid fourti four thousand as I reede
IX. 2081. A thousand thre hundred acountid was the yeer (apocope
o{ ed in hundred)
Other examples are: I. 5306, II. 1018, 1848, III. 1946, 2000, 2011, 3014
3618, IV. 3127, 3961, V. 514, 2933, VI. 2353, 2953, 3347, VIII. 130, 1022
1965, 2191, 2291, IX. 3050, 3067, 3386.
Type D is of frequent occurrence:
I. I. He that whilom dede his dilligence
I. 9. Artificeres hauyng exercise
I. II. Shappis formys and newli hem deuyse (read "forrms")
I. 27. With ther colours agreable of hewe
III. 2235. Had also in cronycles as I reede (syncope of y in crony cUs)
III. 3617. How in manhod he was pereles
V. 2857. To the Romeyns any wise tobeye
Lines in which the first syllable is missing and an extra
syllable added before the caesura are comparatively rare and
difficult to identify with certainty, for most of them can be read
very well as normal. The following are probably examples:
II. 557. Stant the weelfare off eueri regeoun
II. 728. In losephus his story ye may reede
II. 933. Wher Porcenna sat in his roial see
VI. 3070. AUe assentid & sworn to Catallyne
In regard to type C, the so-called broken-backed line, it
can be said with no less certainty that it was frequently used
by Lydgate in the "Fall of Princes" — I cannot agree with Pro-
fessor Kaluza's apparent rejection of it — than that properly
xxxii The Metre
read and not lifted out of its context it is usually, although
not always, admirable, and on the whole quite as "good"
as any other line. In many cases it is a practical impossi-
bility for us to say whether we have to deal with it or with
the normal type (A), into which it can always be transformed
by the addition of a syllable at the caesura; and although I
doubt that there was ever any question in Lydgate's mind as
to what sort of line he was writing or how he intended his lines
to be scanned, we are to-day greatly handicapped by the neglect
of copyists in matters of detail (the presence or absence of a
final ^ in a manuscript usually meaning nothing at all) as well
as by our ignorance of Lydgate's pronunciation. In saying that
the use of the final <? as a metrical syllable was wholly artificial
in Lydgate's time, for the reason that it had long disappeared
from the spoken language, and that consequently it is not
impossible that, for the sake of the metre, Lydgate sometimes
added an e to words to which it did not belong etymologic-
ally,^ Professor Kaluza was no doubt in the main correct.
Only in the case of Lydgate, who although quite conscious of
his inferiority always had Chaucer's metrical practice in mind
and apparently never varied his method, the idea of time hardly
comes into consideration. As a metrlst he looked upon him-
self as one of his master's contemporaries. Final /s had crept
in through false analogy long before the fifteenth century, and
it cannot be assumed that Lydgate knew very much about
etymology; nevertheless, I believe that a careful examination of
the metre will show nothing more than an inclination on
Lydgate's part to make a somewhat fuller use of the final e
than Chaucer did, especially in the dative case, more rarely in
the accusative, and very seldom in the nominative, of nouns
of the strong declension with consonant endings. There is no
evidence whatever of an indiscriminate adding of silent /?'s.
The following examples of type C are to my mind very good
lines. Properly read, with a marked pause at the caesura, there
is no unpleasant clashing together of accented syllables. One
could as well say that the syllables clash together unpleasantly
in "That stretches and swings to the slow passionate pulse of
the sea"; or "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows."
' LiUraturblatt fur germ. Phil., 1899, pp. 373-375; 1900, p. 408.
I.
5120.
I.
5671.
II.
2795-
III.
1480.
III.
1758.
III.
2430.
III.
2497.
III.
2698.
III.
2815.
III.
2883.
III.
2972.
III.
3219.
III.
3522.
III.
3527-
III.
3555-
III.
3598-
III.
3614.
III.
4372.
III.
4459-
V.
424.
V.
2204.
The Metre xxxiii
Nor alle men may nat been iliche
And fyTiali as poetis telle
Senacherib off Assirie kyng
Ther woful fall Guido dede endite
And heerupon to be certefied
Foure thousand men Xerses thedir sente
Fledde in a boot lik a coward knyht
Bi gret auys weies he hath souht
This was theflfect pleynli in substaunce
Nor fader non by his gret errour
On hors[e]-bak thoruh ther gret swiftnesse
Amyd the se ferr out fro the stronde
Strong was the fiht or that thei wer take
And aftir that whan he cam to londe
Bothe old & yong with ful glad visages
Banyshed ageyn out of his cite
Which sufFred nat them to lyue in pes
Is seelde glad as for his partie
Is onli this thei do non excesse
Tween man and man or of wilful rage
Al desolat cried for almesse
Other good examples are: I. 4629, 5469, 5582, III. 2034, 2836, IV. 149,
1629, 1756, 2443, 3052, 3156, 3564, 3634, 3751, 3852, V. 63, 256, 588, 742,
813, iiio, 1923, 2019, 2878, 3085, VI. 1215, 1220, 1380, 1885, 2261, 6s, 2351,
2782, 3049, VII. 315, 1495, VIII. 817, 1296, 1852, 2052, 2129, 2944, 3312,
IX. 2020, 24, 2998, 3254.
In the following lines both the first syllable and a syllable
at the caesura are wanting:
I. 906. Than a man for to haiie delit
I. 1004. Which that God took with Noes Flood
rV. 860. Whereupon whan he caste his look
V. 2063. Hanybal gan his purpos holde
V. 2455. Set him up in his roiall stall
VI. 792. Spartharchus was ther cheef capteyn
VI. 914. Vnto which whan thei wer repeired
VI. 1335. Aftir that for hir gret faimesse
VI. 1796. Thei to hym 3'old[e] up the toun
VIII. 53. Lik a man hangyng in ballaunce
VIII. 515. Smet out oon of his eyen tweyne
VIII. 2723. Orcadois, Denmark and Houlond
IX. 2303. Chewed it al on pecis smale
IX. 2857. Day be day caried vitaile
On the other hand, there are many doubtful and difiicult
examples of lines of the above types. Some of them, as Pro-
fessor Kaluza and Dr. MacCracken have stated, can be easily
mended, or, as I should prefer to say, transformed, into type
A or D. It would be most undesirable to amend Lydgate
with a view to smoothing his lines for the benefit of present-
xxxiv The Metre
day readers; and whenever textual alterations are undertaken
it should naturally be done with the sole object of restoring,
so far as we are able, the text to its original state. This we
are often able to do successfully on the basis of the manuscripts;
but when there is no manuscript authority for a change, it is
best to leave things as they are unless the suggested emenda-
tion is a very simple and obvious one, as is sometimes the case;
for often manuscript authority may represent nothing more,
especially if in a late text, than the very questionable conjecture
of a copyist. The presence or absence of a final <f in a manu-
script, as I have already said, usually means nothing: we are
glad enough to take advantage of it when it is there; but the
copyists apparently did not trouble themselves about it one
way or the other, and the readers in Lydgate's day were pre-
sumably able to sound it for themselves where it was needed.
Lines like the following can easily be altered into the
regular type; and in many such cases it is quite possible that
Lydgate did originally write them in the more expanded form;
yet the majority of these lines are wholly characteristic and
require no emendation.
III. 2336. But off assent cast in your passage (casteth)
III. 2755. A myhti due callid Palantus (y-callid)
III. 3192. He callid was god of marchaundise (the god)
IV. 2367. Another thyng bookis specific (as bookis)
IV. 3654. For thei wer set Bochas doth deuise (as Bochas)
IX. 2998. And in caas verray resemblable (verraily)
Compare also III. 4787, V. 850, VI. 1362, etc.
Sometimes it is hard to say whether a line ought to be scanned
as type C or type D; for here the type depends entirely upon
whether the first syllable is emphasized or not, a matter
which the taste of the modern reader must decide in the ab-
sence of all knowledge of the niceties of speech-accent of the
fifteenth century:
I. 682. And In ther trust for they wer nat stable
II. 1616. The and thi kyn no man may socoure
II. 1617. Flessh skyn and bon houndis shal deuoure
IV. 529. He shal be set of gold bornid briht (gold probably
disyllabic)
IV. 3727. To his encres which that myhte auaille
V. 519. And wher that he in his tendre age
In many other cases where at first sight there might appear
The Metre xxxv
need for another syllable, there is actually no need for it; the
syllable is already there. And although we certainly do not
know just how Lydgate read his lines and pronounced his
words, the conjecture at any rate lies near at hand that there
was, in addition to diaeresis (as in Piroides, II. 2502; circuit,
VII. 654; deer [O. E. dior], I. 5125; boy, V. 2588; day(?) II.
3396, V. 2019; weel, IV. 1564; heeld. III. 213 1; clees, VI. 2481;
dees, V. 2700; trees, I. 540, II. 2619), an occasional resolution
of one syllable into two, either by lengthening or by the quasi-
insertion of an extra vowel-sound, especially before an r and /
and n. This is wholly consistent with the thicker and more
broken utterance which, in view of the analogous mode of
speech preserved to-day, apparently independently of dialect,
by country people in parts of England and especially of Ireland,
we may assume was prevalent in Lydgate's time and among
his class. Examples of such lengthening or vowel-insertion are:
Saul (Sauel), II. 167, etc.; foul (O. E. fugol), IV. 1742; tail
(O. E. taegl), I. 854, IX. 1467; soil, I. 746; gold, II. 3452,^
etc. (see infra); poynt, VI. 2440; reyn (O. E. regn), I. 713;
Minotaur, I. 864; tour, I. 1098, II. 1738; repeir, VI. 3201;
dispeir, VI. 2433; hair (heir), I. 5140; boor, I. 4918; boord, IV.
1332; fir (fire), I. 1417, II. 21 11 (comp. feer-brond, I. 6388).
The consonant combinations Ik and // seem to have formed
a syllable by themselves in folk (follek), I. 148, III. 148, 4051,
4425, IV. 2442, IX. 1819, 2970 (but folk, monosyllable, I. 806,
IV. 3630, V. 12), calfF, I. 6380, halff, I. 6378, mylk, IV. 1131,
and on occasion in self (him, her-self). The letter r was evi-
dently strongly rolled, or pronounced with a distinct burr,,
producing a disyllabic effect in such words as world ^ (fern, i
stem), which, however, has an organic silent e in the dative and
accusative, I. 793, 822, 6179, 6253, II. 2081, III. 3165, IV. 83;
in the strong masculines and neuters, hors, III. 1842, 52, 2556,
2979;* arm, II. 952, 1521; clerk, IV. 2663, IX. 113; werk, I.
1 1 25, 29, 39; turn, IV. 2863, VI. 584; in the French words
cours. III. 2802; court, II. 2251, III. 4785, VIII. 2945, 76, IX.
2103; and sort, I. 2725; and in first, erst, -fom and thoruh.
In k3aig, the g may have been pronounced separately as
* Comp. VI. 201, 2515, 2893 wor-eldli.
* In VI. 1369, "Vpon an hors wildere than a leoun," the a is omitted in
MSS. B and H, showing that the copyist probably said '*hor-€s," if he
pronounced the word at all.
xxxvi The Metre
a guttural following the n (see ten Brink, §120, ff), thereby
producing an additional syllable that could be sounded or
slurred at will. It is not at all probable that Lydgate added
an e ; yet the word is used in so many lines where two sylla-
bles are unquestionably required that it is difficult to believe
that it was not indeed disyllabic:
II. 1625. Off this warnyng the kyng took non heed
II. 2937. The woful fal off kyng Amazie
IV. 1800. And whan kyng Alisaundre hadde
IV. 2390. And of the kyng of Epirothes
VI. 1345. Which weddid was to kyng Tholome
VI. 1681. So that the kyng Mitridate alas
VIII. 3257. Of Gepidois how kyng Trusimounde
IX. 903. This kyng caste the damages to redresse (apocope of
the s in damages)
IX. 2792. With kyng lohn this Gaulteer lik a kniht
Other examples are: I. 5227, 5986, II. 1516, 24, 78, 2122, 2248,
2714, 3207, III. 2319, 74 2650, 2714, IV. 1552, 1863, 2340,
V. 2968, VI. 1025, IX. 708, 924, 1287. Yet several of these
are doubtful; we do not know but that Lydgate may have
had the "broken-backed" line in his mind more often than is
perhaps apparent to us now, and the following lines can be
read very well with kyng as a monosyllable: II. 1665, 4107,
III. 869, 4808, IV. 1461, 1944, 2981, V. 2409, IX. 865, 2956.
On the other hand, kyng is certainly a monosyllable in lines
III. 1705, 08, 39, 43, 2662, IV. 1315, 17, 78, VI. 1352, VIII.
2364, IX. 1285; and when it occurs at the end of a line it
rhymes with the present participle (III. 1724, 4104, V. 2438,
3028, etc.).
To deth, str. masc, an e was probably added in the dative
on occasion (pronounced dede.?); and examples of its dative use
are comparatively numerous: I. 761, 5739, II. 2325, III. 2752,
4733, 54, IV. 722, 1083, 2062, 2133, 58, 3060, 3976, V. 2124,
2251, VI. 1 163, 2550, 3618, VII. 56, VIII. 1044, 1434, 64, 1864,
2587, IX. 254. Of these lines, IV. 1083, " For of his deth no
man list compleyne," and VIII. 1044, "Of whos deth Lycynyus
was glad," can be read as type D; and IV. 2062, " That for his
deth tempted the poisoun," is a fine example of type C as it
stands. Lines VI. 2087, 2504, and VIII. 1457 are of the normal
type, requiring no e in the dative. The word occurs but seldom
in the accusative case; but in lines IV. 1957, "Tauenge my
The Metre xxxvii
deth wrouht bi gret outrage," IX. 151 5, *' Tauenge the deth[e]
of Andronicus," and IX. 2031, "His lyfF his deth[e] put in
iupartie," it may be considered to require two syllables.
In regard to feeld, str. masc, the indication is that it either
took an <r, when required, in both the dative and accusative, or
was lengthened into fe-eld. There are many examples of its
use: II. 23CX), 09, 2648, 4358, III. 2103, 4914, IV. 222, 3652,
85, V. 324, 31, 2036, VI. 1871.
Wheel, str. neuter, was certainly disyllabic (Middle English
spellings: hweol, wheol, hue3el, etc.); compare nominative case,
"Troy Book," II. 8561, and accusative, "Fall of Princes,"
V. 1 145. An e may have been added to the dative, I. 2170,
V. 2293, VI. 308, and in the "Troy Book," II. 2021; but I am
inclined to doubt it, although in my indecision I added one
in VI. 308. In lines VI. 703, 11, 2538 (dative), and IV. 2858
(accusative) it is all right as it stands.
Although lord is one of the masculines of the strong declen-
sion that sometimes takes an e in the dative in Chaucer (ten
Brink, §201), it is probable that it was also pronounced disyl-
labically lau-erd. It usually occurs in the accusative and
nominative:
I. 814. Was bi the Lord as hym list ordeyne
I. 2790. Made hir lord at hir to disdeyne
II. 1006. Also my lord bad I sholde abide
II. 1936. Hadde slayn hir lord for his gret richesse
II. 3426. Whan that his lord was be tresoun slayn
II. 4542. And to that Lord bowwe doun thi chyne
III. 1984. Ful lik a lord and a knyhtli man
VI. 1641. W'as to his lord[e] fals & eek vnkynde
VIII, 1879. Of his lord[e] be ful cruel hate
Compare also I. 6619, II. 196, VII. 1203, VIII. 881, 1674. In
line II. 1930, lord is evidently monosyllabic; in IV. 1326,
"Ageyn his lord bi an horrible crj^me," the pronunciation of
lord depends upon whether "bi an horrible" is elided or not:
if we read "banorrible," lord is disyllabic.
In kniht, the k and the n were probably sounded separately,
and the word was disyllabic (IV. 1924, VIII. 2845, 3231, IX.
642). Hed, str. neuter, was more likely pronounced heved
than hed[e] when two syllables are needed; and although I
have added an ^ in a few instances, it is rather to indicate that
the word is disyllabic than to imply that Lj-dgate thought of
xxxviii The Metre
it otherwise than as heved. It occurs as a rule in the nomi-
native and accusative:
II. 3626. The speris hed rooff hym thoruh the herte
III. 1762. Gropyng his hed[e] as he lai slepyng
IV. 3892. His hed smet ofF in the same place
VI. 1159. Lost his hed[e] & his lyfF in deede
VI. 2453. Took up the hed[e] of that prince alas
The str. neuters gold and child were also in all probability
disyllabic, go-eld and chi-eld:
II. 3452. He thouhte gold myhte hym most auaile
II. 3474. Though he of gold hadde so gret plente
II. 3790. Riche of gold perle and precious stonys
IV. 529. He shal be set of gold bornid briht
IV. 889. Of most fj'n gold shon so cleer & briht
VIII. 1269. Al of gold fret with perles fyne
IV. 3684, "Armed al in gold and with gret violence," is of
type A, with gold a monosyllable. I prefer to read VIII.
3160, "Al is nat gold that is cleer shynyng," as type A rather
than type D. In IV. 506, " Bies of gold crownes of laureer,"
we have the alternative choice of a disyllabic "gold" or a
trisyllabic " c[o]rownes." There are numerous examples of
child, which may have sometimes taken an e in the dative; we
meet with it, however, most frequently in the nominative and
accusative cases:
She and hir child fill into the se
Hath maad this child now so fortunat
Is first a child which may nat suffise
Bad that the child sholde anon be take
Whethir the child sholde lyue or deye
Kepte this child in ful secre wise
To keepe the child was nat rekeles
How that this child greene & tendre off age
The yonge child took in ther depos
Because this child tendre yong & fair
Sold hym a child which was born in Ynde
And on the child which that stood beside
But off this child whan the deth was kouth
Was with hir child[e]? seruid that was slayn
In other cases the word is to be read as a monosyllable in lines
of types A and D (I. 3192, 99, 3213, 19, 27, 31, 45, II. 1624,
3108).
Blood, birth, land, and swerd (which may have been other-
wise disyllabic, swe-erd, O. E. sweord) occasionally take an e
I.
2104.
I.
3290.
I.
3407.
I.
7037-
II.
1582.
II.
1808.
II.
3100.
II.
3103.
II.
3139-
II.
3S88.
IX.
2874.
Dative:
II.
3624.
II.
3627.
VI.
1351-
The Metre xxxix
in the dative; good (possessions) apparently requires an e
in the accusative, III. 3853. To the str. masc. gilt an e was
probably added, I. 6925, but not elsewhere (III. 2034, IV.
427, 3751); hill also seems to have required an e in the
dative (II. 4122, III. 2973, V. 2601, VI. 1612, VII. 1054).
Wal, I. 2479, II. 3510, certainly was pronounced wal[le] in
the dative and accusative, VI. 1108 and IV. 339. To knyfF,
II. 1305, 84, III. 1 147; doom, V. 875, VI. 2926; crafft, I. 6523,
41; drem (perhaps disyllabic, O. E.* dream), II. 3222, 3585,
III. 1666, apparantly no e was added. The consonant-stem
noun book, however, seems to have been sometimes disyllabic
through the addition of an inorganic e to the dative, I. 4076,
V. 366, 804, VI. 2871, IX. 177, 3070 (ace, I. 258, 423, VI. 224),
although some of these lines can be read as type D.
The French words estat, III. 534, VI. 2865, VIII. 2786;
chaung, I. 2064; assent. III. 2336, IV. 3787, V. 2000, IX.
1349, 3232; feith, IX. 1223, 28; and accord, I. 3706, II. 4117,
IX. 2218, also seem to have required an e in some instances.
So far we have been dealing with lines that require more
syllables than they apparently possess; but there are many
other lines that at first sight might be considered to have too
many syllables. It is therefore necessary to examine shortly
Lydgate's usage in slurring over and eliding syllables and
otherwise contracting his words.
There is very frequent use of elision and apocope. Of the
former the following are characteristic examples:
Lat us (Lat's), I. 938; it wer ('twer), II. 3648; Fortune is
(Fortune's), IX. 3526; There is (there's), I. 2581,4611, II. 3639,
III. 3932; He enfectith, I. 4624; He abod. III. 816; He is,
I. 6986, III. 1365; Heere is, I. 2596; She is, I. 6185; Wil is,
III. 3980; and in (=nin), VI. 2825; bi his, VI. 2633; beAmilius,
II. 3992; Bi Eneas, II. 987; be interpretacioun, VIII. 1940;
be influent, IX. 3222; be exacciouns, VIII. 2638; be occa-
sioun, IX. 350; Be Honorius, VIII. 2281; Bamaner, VI.
944; bagredi, VI. 1005; birfadres, IV. 3324; bextorsioun,
III. 3231, this (= that is) II. 4040; so infortunat, I. 3470;
so onable. III. 49; elision of the e in the before vowels and
h, I. 1370, 2388, 5848, III. 2352, V. 373, VI. 2303, 04, 3428,
VII. 1 1 20, 1400, VIII. 3261; of the o\nto,\. 5719, II. 684, 2289,
xl The Metre
IV. 3996, VI. 3267, VIII. 2056, 2205, 2394, IX. 2030; glorye
and, I. 1 1 18, II. 1073, 2108, III. 3343; miserie and, I. 968;
sclaundre and, III. 3017; childre and. III. 2007; wynter and,
III. 2204; fadir and, I. 900; childre in, VIII. 2363; fadir in,
I. 194; rekne in, VI 1745; other in, I. 2860; lettir in, I. 6344;
rancour in, II. 785; thastlabre in, I. 295; peeple in, I. 996;
Brothir of, VII. 1044; double of, VIII. 3152; double Apostata
VIII. 1483; title of, VI. 3647; slauhtre of, VIII. 223; temple
off. III. 3315; sobre of, I. 6208; enlumyned ofF, III. 666;
chartre is, V. 1873; mekil is. III. 555; writen is, V. 1476;
lauhtre on, I. 1528; Phebus on, VI. 2472; Capue he, V. 2049;
leuer he. III. 3918; togidre he, III. 4568; peeple he, II. 215;
ordre as, VIII. 2598; sugre eek, I. 4001; title had, VI. 732;
Vttre hem, VI. 298; merci or, II. 1699; gredi excesse, VI.
1425; foure dementis, VI. 3398; walkyn appeere, V. 1000;
peeple onhappi, I. 3864; furie unrestreynable. III. 4027.
Apocope is quite frequent of the endings el or le, er {ir, re),
w, we, uh, in narw, naruh, sorwe, etc., ed in hundred and the
past participle, ^ and of the es, is in plurals, especially of
French words. Examples are: bridle. III. 4608; litil, III. 3088,
IV. 2345, VIII. 421; stable. III. 1878; nouther, IV. 1035;
sobre, I. 3449; remembre, I. 3102; fostre, I. 3255; hunger, VII.
1353; mooder, I. 4811, 6185, III. 3980, IV. 151, V. 2940;
moordre, VIII. 3372; whethir, I. 4653, 4658, 59, 61; somer,
III. 2204, mydsomer, I. 3998; holuh, V. 2105; sorwe, I. 3532;
a-morwe. III. 1524, 3825; naruh. III. 208; folwe. III. 1488;
hundred, VIII. 2296, IX. 2081; fadid, VIII. 194; weddid, IV.
3968; disclaundrid, IX. 2445; delyuered. III. 3314; corages,
I. 999, 2931, (rhymes "corages: language: visage," I. 5154);
offices, I. 614; deluges, I. 1081; pillages, I. 6139, IV. 836,
VIII. 2638; pryncessis, I. 1829, 3125, II. 4230, trespacis, I.
291 1, II. 4582, V. 3109; sciences, I. 4246; facis, VIII. 3142;
ymages, II. 834, 4497, V. 1440; damages, III. 2483, IV. 639,
IX. 3023; euidencis, I. 3105; toknes, IX. 117; prouynces, III.
4867, VII. 1564, VIII. 698; richessis. III. 4240, 45, 4932, IV.
3924, VIII. 2596 (rhymes with apocopated " falsnessis, wit-
nessis," V. 1661); goddessis, VII. 837, IX. 277, (rhymes with
apocopated " witnessis, brihtnessis," IX. 282, with " heuynes-
sis," IX. 293); liknessis, IV. 17; paleisis, VI. 1296.
* See V. 3021, where "exercised " rhymes with "deuise" and "guise."
The Metre xli
SjTicope also is frequent and often indicated by contrac-
tions. It occurs in the third and second person singular end-
ings of many verbs, in the participle, in the plural of nouns
ending in es (is), and otherwise in a very large number of
words. Examples are: appallith, III. 1629; causeth, III. 4046;
gynneth. III. 4547; komth. III. 1036; lakketh, III. 2275;
makith, I. 1015, makth III. 70, maketh. III. 1628, 3235,
4209, VI. 1282; taketh, III. 533, 1235, 1625; tarageth, IV.
2930; yeueth. III. 397; holdeth, II. 531; preueth, III. 4035;
declareth, II. 3462; bryngith, I. 1414; reuersith, III. 1462;
settest, VI. 495; recurid. III. 1400; astonid, IV. 939; co-
maunded, IV. 427; namyd, I. 574; lokkid, VIII. 42.
In the plural of nouns: goddis, II. 4256, III. 3564, IV.
3708, 23,37 ; innocentis, II. 4421; personys, III. 3607; mys-
cheuys, VIII. 2626.
Other examples are: adamaunt, IV. 66; aduertjseth, I. 806;
aduersite, VI. 1262, 1687, VIII. 3259, IX. 1845; antiquite,
IX. 916; appetit, VI. 13 19, appetites, VIII. 2404; auctorite,
VI. 2242, VIII. 971, 2054, 2216, IX. 2171, 99, 2645; auisili,
VI. 3356; bestialite, IV. 2687; cardynales, IX. 1087, cardynal,
IX. 21CXD (but cardinales, IX. 1077); cathedral, VIII. 2035;
chapitle, I. 4499, VI. 1282; charite, VII. 1172, IX. 2400; cher-
isshe, I. 997, 3840, II. 3146, IV. 1372, VIII. 2366, cherysshyng,
II. 1096 (but cherisshid, III. 4794); chronycle, I. 2607; cit-
eseyns, IV. 3916; confederat, VIII. 2256; consuleris, V. 1956;
contemplatyfF, IX. 3413; corupt. III. 967 (but c6rupt, VIII.
990); countirfet, VII. 1207; countirpeis, VI. 2893; couenable,
III. 4006, VI. 618; delicat, VI. 1424; dilligentli, VII. 1324;
disconfited, I. 5291, III. 2520, VI. 2132, VIII. 1055, 251 1;
disseueraunce. III. 2814; disherited, I. 2563; dissymulyng,
IV. 1306; enheritour,'fX. 1252; enlumjned. III. 666; emperour,
VIII. 754, 1041, emperours, II. 4467, VII. 1264; felicite, I.
1834, III. 1 1 53, infelicite, I. 3168; fauourable (slurred), IV.
990; felashipe, VII. 8; flaterers, III. 3164, IX. 2712; florys-
shynges, IX. 3446; gentilesse, IV. 2702; gouemaunce, V. 1770;
gouemour, V. 1758, IX. 49; humylyte, IX. 2393; imagynatyff,
VIII. 521; importable, VIII. 1579; impossible, I. 3835, VI.
1717; indigent, III. 4324; infirmytes, VII. 1256, IX. 1087;
infortunat, IV. 3987; innocent, IX. 1493; ipocras, VII. 1282;
laboreer, VII. 1198, liberalite, IV. 3994, libertes, IX. 2608;
xlii The Metre
mageste, IV. 3127; magnificence, IX. 3602; malencolie, III.
4026; malencolik, VI. 3442; martirloge, IX. 42; mellodie, VI.
344; merciful, VIII. 1204; meryly, I, 4795; modefie, IX. 2615;
mutabilite, V. 1823, VI. 399; myneral, VII. 1216; myracle,
VIII. 1503, 1623; naked, VII. 1062; necessite, I. 4981, VII.
548; norice, III. 4278; notable, I. 1460, VI. 513, 891, 3630,
VII. 84; ocupied, VIII. 299; onchaungable, I. 1207; ordenaunce,
VIII. 933; origynal, IV. 1137; perisshed, IV. 22; pestilence,
VII. 1353; philosophie, IV. 1139, VI. 345; philisophre, VI.
1303, 3120, VII. 1223; politik, VI. 347; polyshing, III. 1040;
possible, VI. 3199; predecessours, I. 3910; prerogatifF, VI.
3377; prerogatyues, VI. 3080; promyses. III. 4252; prosperite,
I. 124, IV. 1052, 68, VIII. 2550, 2671; punysshe, II. 1241,
1327, 4380, III. 1457 (but punyshe, III. 304, 1129, 1684,
etc.); rethorik, VIII. 193; reuerence, II. 1966, IX. 2101; re-
uolucioun, VI. 189; salari, II. 3167; senatours, VI. 3104, 3226,
VII. 543, VIII. 2539 (but senatours VIII. 223); sensualite, V.
1503, VI. 3381, VIII. 2350; seuen. III. 2530, 2651, 2702, 37,
4550, IV. 113; skarmysshes, IV. 292; souereyne, V. 1172;
subtilite, V. 1609; syngulerte, III. 1280, 2258; synguler, I.
409, II. 4305, III. 2136, IV. 133, VI. 2209, 3004, 3140 (but
synguler, IV. 3623); tragedie, I. 5519, 44; trynyte, IX. 2404;
venymous, III. 4595; werreyours, VII. 1036.
Synizesis, the combination into one syllable of two vowels
that can not make a diphthong, is frequent and often accom-
panied by slurring. Mariage is as a rule of two syllables
= marage (I. 1988, 3483, 3752, II. 2121, III. 4112, 16, IV.
184, 3973> VIII. 3273, IX. 257, 63, 73, 83, 88, etc.); but we
also have mariage in three syllables (I. 3500, 5462). Other
examples are: cariage, V. 193 1; alliaunce, V. 2450 (alliaunce,
IX. 259); daliaunce, VI. 214, 3467; embassiat, V. 1545;
meriere, I. 5813; permiable, VI. 2168; rhetoricien, VI. 3454;
superfluite, VI. 2689, 3332, VII. 1307; tarieng, VI. 2737;
variaunce, VI. 2893, 3399; vertuous. III. 4383, VIII. 127, IX.
1 153, 2027, 3046 (but vertuous, VII. 399, IX. 2034).
There is synizesis of the i and 0 in the following adjectives:
compendious, VI. 3630; contrarious, IX. 529; furious, 1.
2388; gracious, IX. 3349; ungracious, VIII. 3273; victorious,
II. 204, VI. 1209, IX. 2417.
The same applies to many nouns ending in ioun: accusacioun,
The Metre xliii
V. 1658; aflFeccioun, III. 821; champiouns, IX. 2426; collu-
sioun, II. 4240, III. 1713; compassioun, III. 4812, VI. 276,
2996; composicioun, II. 766; condicioun, VI. 281; confec-
ciouns, III. 2574, IX. 2907; coniuracioun, VI. 3052; conspir-
acioun, VII. 447, VIII. 3127; constellacioun, III. 3628;
contencioun, IV. 436; desolacioun, VI. 362; deuocioun, IX.
2140; digressioun, III. 3228, V. 1776, VI. 2000 (but not in
VI. 3330); dilacioun, I. 7053; discencioun, IV. 677; discre-
cioun, I. 503, III. 4627, IV. 2329, 4032, V. 1783; divisioun,
III. 5122, VI. 2310, 2535 (but not so in lines I. 4611, VI. 358,
3329, and perhaps in IX. 511); dominacioun, VIII. 229, IX.
1507; ellocucioun, VI. 3334; entencioun, IV. 1365; execu-
cioun, IX. 2982; extorsioun, III. 3231; exacciouns, IX. 2615;
facioun, I. 5051; fundacioun, IX. 2427; generaciouns, VI.
3400; intrusioun, VIII. 2316; lamentaciouns, VI. 2384; men-
cioun, III. 4941, VIII. 1 174; obligacioun, IV. 1978; occa-
siouns, I. 4736, in sing., IV. 1013; oppressioun, VIII. 1306;
perfeccioun, IX. 798; pocessioun, VIII. 2891; presumpcioun,
IX. 939 (but four syllables, VI. 3628); professioun, VIII. 1480,
2250; pronunciacioun, VI. 3140, 3340; refecciouns, VII. 904;
religioun, IX. 2129; reuolucioun, VI. 189; subieccioun, V.
582; successioun, I. 4273, III. 2964; supplantacioun, IX.
3039; suspeccioun, III. 2728.
Synizesis also occurs in proper nouns, such as Albioun,
VI. 2882; Amphioun, VI. 3491; Scipioun, V. 1249, etc.
Hiatus is comparatively rare, but nevertheless there are a
number of cases where the final e is evidently sounded before
a succeeding vowel, as in VI. 2461, " Bi fals rauyne and extor-
sioun "; VII. 268, " The firste also who list take heede; " VII.
380, "And saide also mor for assuraunce;" VIII. 2395,
" Brothir to force auctours seyn echon "; IX. 1044, " In suich
disioynt the sayd[e] Arnold stood." There are other ex-
amples in which the words ** boost " and " steel " with dative
ending are followed by the word "armed."
In proper nouns the accent is often shifted from one syl-
lable to another; sometimes a name is shortened by apocope,
or, as we have seen above, by synizesis. Thus, Ypolitus reads
Ypolitus, I. 4488; Roboam, II. 772, Roboam, II. 792; lerusa-
lem, II. 755, 1825, 2656, 83, but lerusalem, II. 707, 1491,
2891, VII. 1458, IX. 1859, 1917, 57; Abithomarus, V. 957,
xliv The Metre
Abithomarus, V. 981, Abithomarus, V. 946; Lacedemoyn and
Lacedemoyn, III. 3362, 77, 3439, 64, etc.; Pelopia, I. 4151;
Odoacer, VIII. 2510, Odoacer, VIII. 2501; Anthjochus, V.
1523, 48, 2781, Anthiochus, V. 1590, etc.; Nabugodonosor, II.
3531; Artabanus, III. 2669, Artabanus, III. 2647, 92; Fana-
ticus, VI. 662; Tantalus, III. 3730; Diogenes, III. 4392;
Macedoyne, V. 282; Laodices, V. 1473; Aristobolus, VI. 2742,
52; Constantynople, VIII. 2222; Alcibiades and Alcibiades,
III. 3375, etc.; Tholome and Tholome, VI. 2627, 48, 52;
Artaxerxes, III. 5022, but usually Artaxerxes; lubiter and
lubiter, III. 1660, VI. 3206, VII. 385, 551, VIII. looi, 1004;
Radagasus and Radagasus, VIII. 2143, 60, 62; Cesarea, VIII.
1733, Cesarea, VIII. 1747; Phebus, VI. 2472; Alisaundre, IV.
1428, etc.; Cleopatra, VI. 2648, Cleopatra, VI, 2643; Calligula,
VII. 411, 86, Calligula, VII. 323; Antigonus, IV. 2264, Anti-
gonus, IV. 2282; Galerius, VIII. 980, Galerius, VIII. 981.
It is exceedingly doubtful whether there are any lines with
a trisyllabic first measure in the " Fall of Princes." Personally
I am inclined to believe that there are none. Lines having
the word "seven" in the second measure will hardly do, for
seven, with the second e syncopated, was a monosyllable (I.
4255, IV. 1 166, 1232). "Philisophre" was disyllabic through
syncope of the second i, which puts IV. 1303 and VI. 3120
out of court (comp. also VII. 1223 and philosophic in IV.
1 139 and VI. 345). In VIII. 1005, "In the capitoile set sothli
as he saide," the first i in "capitoile" is syncopated; the line
is regular. In the line, I. 4169, "Off the noble worthi kyng
Agamenoun," "noble" loses its second syllable through
apocope. The first i in "countirpeis," VI. 2893, is syncopated
and the r slurred (comp. countirfet, VII. 1207); and in the
only remaining questionable line of this sort that I have noted,
VI. 3104, "In the Romeyn court afFor the senatours," there
is syncope of the e in "senatours" (for further references see
senatour in list of words illustrating syncope).
There are several irregular lines, but whether the irregu-
larity is due to the author or to the copyists is often impossible
to say. Line 3480, Book III., "This was the mene that he
mente," has only four beats as it stands, and may have been,
but was probably not, so written by Lydgate. "Natwith-
stonding mor boldli that tyme atte leste " (VII. 962) has
The Metre xlv
evidently been garbled; VI. 991, "Sone of a carpenteer the
stori tellith thus," has a beat too many unless the er in
"carpenteer" is syncopated; and VII. 356, "With certeyn
dr>'nkis to cast hym in a rerage" (rhyming with age), appar-
ently has one syllable too many as it appears in the MSS.
There are many lines in which the accent is thrown on the
definite article; but whether the practice was considered ob-
jectionable I cannot say. It is at any rate very easy to read
such lines by slurring over the arsis, a practice not unknown
in the poetry of the present day. The following are examples:
I. 2172. To considre the successiouns
I. 5663. Sterte into the welle and hymseluen dre>-nt
II. 2924. Off mortal man the condicioun
III. 161 1. It is in erthe oon the moste pereilous thj-ng
IV. 513. The straunge salaire and the famous guerdoun
rV. 2846. And eclipsed the liht of his glorie
VI. 94. Othir vndir the pool Antartik
VI. 2307. Gan among Romeyns and the contagious fiht
VIII. 179. That laboure may of slouthe haue the victorie
In the following lines the accent falls on the indefinite article :
I. 959. Suffred on a crosse deth and passioun
I. 2332. The fir brast out a ful large space
VI. 3 187. In a desert and a gret wildimesse
Finally, in some cases it is preferable to read a word in a
shorter, but alternative, form to that which occurs in the
text. Thus, Lydgate probably wrote "vauntage" rather than
"auauntage" in III. 499, "It were to me no worshepe nor
auauntage"; and in several lines, "geyn" is preferable to
"ageyn." In VI. 2307 above, Lydgate may have written
"mong." The copyists did not seem to care which form they
used.
I have made the following emendations to the text without
manuscript authority; but all except one (VI. 2459) are obvious
and simple corrections of copyists' blunders and omissions:
II. 423. Natwithstanding [that] the PalestjTies
II. 1732. Till al his blood be bledyng dede raile * (The MSS.
and prints have "fayle" instead of "raile" a blun-
der evidently of an early copyist.)
III. 2906. Thei heeld hemsilff[e] verrai^ly] ashamed (The MSS.
and prints have "verrai.")
IV. 1627. And [he] hadde toward thoxidcnt
xlvi The Metre
IV. 1972. Hir * fatal wheel most dyuers & chaungable (The MSS.
have "Ther" instead of "Hir," but the wheel is
Fortuna's wheel.)
IV. 2744. With al the vicis * of pride & lecherie (The reading
in the MSS. is "spicis," "spices," "spyces," and
"spises" in Tottel.)
IV. 2791. Callid [him] hom ageyn into ther toun
V. 992. And of thes [noble] worthi princis tweyne
V. 3 141. Off this moordre[r] the hatful tirannye
VI. 2459. Which thoruh the * world yiueth so gret a soun (The
MSS. have "thoruh al the world"; and it is possible
that Lydgate so wrote the line, although he uses
"al" in the preceding line.)
VII. 1610. Of plate and maile [ther] armure was so fair
VIII. 408. To this emperour I nil * resorte ageyn (The MSS.
have "wil" instead of "nil.")
De Casxbus Ptrorum Jllustrtum
BOCCACCIO'S PREFACE TO HIS
FIRST VERSION 1
Exquirenti mlhi quid ex labore studioruw meorum possem
reipublicae vtilitatis adferre, mores hominuTn illustrium max-
ime obtulere sese obuiam: quos dum illecebres turpiqw<f libidine
foedos intuerer: effraenesque non aliter quam si fortunam in
sopnum perpetuuw soporassent haerbis aut cantato carmine:
suosqu<f principatus ferreis vncis adamantine in scopulo fir-
massent: aduerterem: Nee ob id solum caeteros pro viribus
premere: quinimmo et in ipsum rerum omnium opificem stulta
quadam temeritate consurgere cemerem: obstupui. Et dum
damnarem dementiam: longam quepii patris patientiam ad-
mirarer: Ecce in mentem incidit quod quaerebam. Quid enim
hac charitate auiditati mortalium et saluti perpetuae vtilius:
quam oberrantes si possis / in rectum tramitem reuocare ? In
quod & si hactenus eloquentissimi & sacra pietate conspicui
viri persaepe conatu maximo elaborauerunt: Non inofficiosum
existimo: si vt ipse (quamuis per viribus non sim) eos a sopore
letifero inuitarem: vigiliam excussisse tentauerim. Sane quum
tales oscenis voluptatibus adsueti difficiles animos demon-
strationibwj praestare consueuerint: & lepiditate historiarum
capi nonnunquam: exemplis agendum ratus sum. Et quid
deus sine (vt eorum more loquar) fortuna in elatos possit
describere: Et (ne in tempus aut sexum cadat obiectio) a
mundi primordio in nostrum vsque aeuuw consternatos duces:
illustresque alios tam viros quam mulieres passim disiectos:
in medium succincte deducere mens est. Absit tamen vt omnes
dixerim. Quis enim mortalium tanti foret vt infinito posset
labori sufficere ? Set ex claris quosdam clarissimos excerpsisse
sat erit, vt dum senes fluxosque principes et dei iudicio quas-
satos in solum reges viderint: dei potentiam: fragilitatem
suam: & fortunae lubricum noscant: & laetis modum ponere
discant: Et sic aliorum periculo suae possint vtilitati consu-
lere. Porro ne continua historiarum series legenti possit esse
fasti dio: morsus in vitia: & ad virtutem suasiones inseruisse
quandoque tam delectabile quam vtile arbitratus: adnectam.
Cui tam sublimi coepto ac successui is quem penes potestas
est omnis / supplex precor / sauens adsit: & in sui nominis
gloriam quod scripsisse dederit ipse conseruet.
^ From Jean Petit's edition [n.d., but after isoy^-
zlvii
BOCCACCIO'S PREFACE TO HIS SECOND VERSION '
IN CASFS VIRORVM ILLVSTRIVM WAN N IS BOCATII
DE CER'TALDO HISTORIOGRAPH I CLARISSIMI PR^FATIO
Exquirenti mihi, quid ex labore studiorum meoruw possem
forsan Reipub. utilitatis addere, occurrere pmeter creditum
multa, maiori tamen ornatu in mentem sese ingessere princi-
pum, atqwif praesidentium quorum cunqw^ obscoenae libidines,
violentiae truces, perdita otia, auaritia inexplebilis, cruenta
odia, vltiones armatae, praecipitesq7<(?, & longe plura scelesta
facinora. Quae cum ductu caelestium viderem in illo coercito
freno euolantia undiqw^, inde honestatem omnem foedari
publicam, iustitiae sacratissimas leges solui, labefactari uirtutes
omnes, & quod infandum est, detestandis exemplis, in mores
impios ignar^ae multitudinis ingenia trahi. Ratus eo me a
fortuna deductuw, quo appetebat intentio: festinus arripui
calamum scripturus in tales. Nam quid satius est, quam
uires omnes exponere, ut in frugem melioris uitae retrahantur
errantes, a desidibus sopitis letalis somnus excutiatur, uitia
reprimantur, & extollantur virtutes. Nee me terruit maiorum
nostrorum in hos ingentia vidisse volumina, & ilia nouisse
styli suauitate, & pondere sententiarum meis literulis praepo-
nenda: plurimum eum meminerim, nonnunqw^ rudem notulam
excitasse nonnuUos, quos tonitrua mouisse non poterant. Bona
igitur pace talium, quo impellit dicendi impetus tendaw: si
forsan saxea haec corda, tenui spiritu oris mei, in salutem
meam mollire saltem paululum queam. Sane cum tales ob-
stent, sueti voluptatibus animos difficiles demonstrationibus
praestare consuerint, & lepiditate Historiarum capi nonnunqw^,
exemplis agendum ratus sum eis, quid Deus omnipotens, seu,
ut eorum loquar more, fortuna in elatos possit, & fecerit. Et
ne in tempus, aut sexuw cadat abiectio, a mundi primordio,
in nostrum usque aeuum consternatos duces, illustresqw^ alios,
tam uiros, quawi mulieres passim deiectos, in medium suc-
cincte deducere mens est. Absit tamen ut omnes dixerim.
Quis enim mortalium tanti foret ? ut infinito labori possit
sufficere ? Sed ex claris quosdam clariores excerpsisse satis
erit. Vt dum segnes, fluxosq?^^ principes, & Dei iudicio quas-
satos in solum, reges viderint, Dei potentiam, fragilitatem suam,
& fortun^e lubricuw noscant: & laetis modum ponere discant,
ut aliorum periculo suae possint vtilitati consulere. Porro ne
continua historiarum series legenti possit fastidium aliquod
inferre, morsus in vitia, et ad virtutem suasiones inseruisse
quandoqw^, tam delectabile, quam utile arbitratus annectam.
Cui tam audaci ceptui, & successui, eum quem penes maiestas
est omnis supprecor, fauens adsit, & in sui nominis gloriam,
quod scripsisse dederit, ipse conseruet.
^ From Ziegler's edition, Augsburg, 1544.
xlviii
BOCCACCIO'S LETTER TO MAINARDO^
JOANNES BOCATIFS DE CERTALDO HISTORIOGRAPHUS,
MACHINARDO EX CLARA CAUALCASTIUM
FAMILIA FIRO CLARISSIMO
Div strenve miles emvnctum ex ingenio meo opusculum,
in quo virorum Illustrium tractantur casus, & ut plurimum
infelices exitus, me penes ociosum fuit. Non enim satis mecum
conueniebam, cui nam primo illud mittere uellem, ut nomini
suo aliquid adferret omatus: & eiusdem adiutus subsidijs,
melioribus quam meis auspicijs prodiret in medium. Cupimus
enim omnes, quadam vmbratili impulsi gloria, quibus auxilijs
possumus, fragiles labores nostros nobilitare, & diuturniores
facere: & scriptores potissime. Et inter alia, quasi multum
illis splendoris consequuturum sit, Pontifici, seu Caesari, aut
Regi, uel alicui principi maximo titulamus eosdem. Quamo-
brem longa indagine mentis quaesiui, quem ex multis unum
eligerem: & ante alios praepollentes mecum euoluere coepi
Pontifices, quorum vetus sanctitas, iamdudum plures, pia
afFectione, libellos claros reddiderat. Sane dum modemos,
ex veteribus exorbitantes, (qui lachn'^mis, & orationibus in
aduersantes deuotioni eorum, uirtutes coelorum mouere con-
sueuerant) vidi ex sacerdotalibus infulis galeas, ex pastoralibus
baculis lanceas, ex sacris uestibus loricas, in quietem, et lib-
ertatem innocentium conflate: ambire Martialia castra, in-
cendijs, violentijs, Christiano sanguine fuso laetari: satagen-
tesqu^ aduersus veritatis verbum dicentis, Regnum meum non
est de hoc mundo, orbis imperium occupare, horrui, retraxiqu^
pedem: ratus apud huiusmodi ludibrium potius opusculum
meum futurum, quam ob aliquod eius meritum preciosum:
& ab ijs frustratus, in hodiemum Caesarem aciem mentis de-
flexi, Sed confestim reuocaui consilium, sentiens eum mag-
nalium suorum immemorem, praeponentemqu<f Thebani Bacchi
uina colentis gloriam, splendoribus Martis Italici, nee non
torpentem sub Circio in extremo orbis angulo, inter niues, &
pocula. Sed quid tandem? subiere pectus anxium, qui notis
insigniti regijs, reges haberi uolunt, cum phalerati sint ona-
gri: & ij potissime, qui hac tempestate praesident regnis. Oc-
curritqw^r primus Gallus Sicamber, qui se temerario ausu genere,
& moribus praeferre caeteris audet: & cui primates monstrauere
sui, nedum philosophari turpissimum fore Regi, uerem liter-
arum nouisse caracteres, detrimentum Regiae Maiestatis
permaximum signari. Qui sic sapiunt, damnantes in Regibus,
quod bellicosos reddit egregios. Inde Hispani, seu Barbari,
& eflTeraces hoies affuere. Post & Seuerus Britannus, elatus
nouis successibus. Sic et Pannonius Bilinguis populi multi-
^ From Ziegler's edition,
xlix
1 Boccaccio's Letter to Mainardo del Cavalcanti
tudine potius quam virtute valens. Postremo mollis, & efFoem-
inatus Siculus. Quorum omnium dum mores, & vitam segre-
gatim intueor, ne per eorum discurram luxum, & inertiam,
rectius regum simulachra, quam reges uisi sunt, Quadpropter
nausea quadam vexatus (ne in fabulam deducerem, quod
cupiebam extollere) ab indagine destiti: & quasi decreueraw
illud fortunae manibus cowmittere, et fere iam emissurus eram,
dum illi misertus Deus, in laudabile consilium incidi. Nemini
scilicet quamtumcumqw^ eminenti, ztque praefulgido principi
posse quiddaw fidentius quam amico committi: etiamsi extre-
mae fortis homo sit. Quod iampridem persaepe legimus illustres
fecisse uiros. Et cum tali gratularer animaduertentiae, & ecce
quasi tu missus in mentem uenisti, Tum ego mecum, quid
inter syluestres beluas rugientes potius quam loquentes, mag-
istr<3e rerum philosophise hostes quaeris, quod in sinu tuo opta-
tissimum tenes, quod in oculis tuis assidue est, quod te coram
semper obambulat? Nonne uides Machinardum tuum? tua
iamdiu approbatum sententia: cuius fidem, dilectionew, cuius
munificentiam saepe expertus es. Quem ergo aluim quaeris?
Nonne insuper huic sacra affinitate iunctus es? Secum si
meminit, vnici filij eius communis pater es. Illi enim dedit
ipse naturali lege ut esset, cum paracleto operante spiritu,
ut bene esset dedisti, dum ilium ex sacri fontis lauacro sus-
cepisti, Praeterea is, esto, plene philosophicis eruditus non
sit, amantissimus tamen studiorum est, & probatorum homi-
num praecipuus cultor, atque eorum operum solertissimus
indagator. Nee est, quod tu summopere uitare uidebaris,
vnus ex mercenaria plebe, aut inglorius, & degener homo,
regia enim militia insignitus est, & egregie splendido titulo:
& ex Caualcantibus clara ciuitatis nostrae familia genitus. Ab
auorum fulgore non deuiat, quinimo singulare decus, & pricae vir-
tutis specimen, nomen suum, & patriam laudabili fulgore red-
dit illustrem. Quid multa dixerim? a deo in sententiam banc
venisse placuit, ut quanto magis mecum ista reuoluerem, tanto
arctius roboraretur consilium, et firmius infigeretur animo. Tuo
igitur, amantissime mi, dummodo pauperis amici munusculum
now renuas, honorando semper nomini dico, quod paulo ante
Regali insigniri cupiebam. Suscipe illud liberali animo, si quid
sanctum amicitiae nomen, iamdiu inter te, & me aequo firmatum
animo meretur. Quaeso susceptum, dum per honestum ocium
poteris legas, non equidem legisse penitebit, si satis ingenium
tuum noui. Et inter legendum non pigeat minus decenter
se habentia emendasse. Et dum uidebitur, post hoc, inter
amicos communes, & postremo tuo nomine emittas in publi-
cum, ut ipse pro viribus celebre nomen tuum, meumqw<f aliquali
fulgore, per ora uirorum discurrens, illustres. Vale.
2De« Ca« SDes JI3obIe« i^ommes
et iFemmes
LAURENCE'S TRANSLATION OF BOCCACCIO'S
PREFACE 1
[fiir war retaitud in Laurence's second version.^
Cest la translacion du prologue lehan boccace ou liure des
cas des nobles hommes & femmes maleureux, commencant en
latin: Exquirenti michi quid ex labore, & cetera. [^ Et enuoie
son liure a vng sien compere cheualier appelle messire maguard
des cheualchans de florence Senechal de Scicile ainsi comme
II appart par vne epistre surce (aicte par le dit Boccace en
la quele II blasme et reprent ouuertement et a cause tous
les princes crestiens.]^
Qvant le enqw^roye quel proufiit le peusse faire a la chose
publique par le labeur de mon estude, le tournay mon engin
a considerer les maintiens & les meurs des nobles hommes
& femmes qui principallement se presenterent deuant les yuelx
de mon entendement, & quant le les apperceu ordoyez en vains
delictz & en plaisirs deshonnestes, le consideray Iceulx estre
desroyes & sans fraing, ainsy comme se [ilz eussent endormie
fortune par herbes ou par enchantemens ou ainsi comme se]'
Ilz eussent fermees leurs seignouries a croz de fer a roche day-
mant. Et pource que ilz cuydoient leurs seignouries estre
fermes & p<rrdurables, Ilz par leurs forces submarchoient
non pas seullement les autres moindres hommes, mais le les
regardoye enorgueillir & rebeller comme folz & oultrageux *
contre dieu, le faiseur de toutes choses, dont le me esmerueillay;
& quant le condamnoie lenragee folie de ces nobles hommes
& femmes, & le conme esbahy consideroye la longue pacience
de dieu, le pere debonnaire, celle chose me vint en courage
que le querroie. Certes le dis en mon cueur aucune chose
nest pas plus prouffitable ne plus charitable a la communaulte
des hommes & au salut pardurable, que de rappeller au droit
chemin ceulx qui sont desuoyez se le puis, auquel rauoyement
combien que aulcuns hommes bien enlangagiez * & nobles
^ From du Pre's edition, 1483, with corrections and additions from MSS.
Royal 18. D. VII. and Royal 20. C. IV.
« From MS. Royal 18. D. VII. ' From the two Royal MSS.
* oultrageiaj orgueilleux, du Pre. ^ enlangagiez]] alangagez, du Pre.
li
Hi Laurence's Prologue
par aucuwes sainctes & doulces paroUes y ayent traueille lusques
cy, toutesfois le pense que cest chose prouffitable se le me essaye
oster telz hommes du somme qui est semblable a la mort &
a les reueillier pour vitement ouurer, combien que le ne soye
mie pareil aux anciens historiens. Et certain est que cowme
telz hommes desuoiez soient accoustumez de ensuiuir ordes
delectacions, Ilz acoustumeront a grant peine leurs couraiges
a ouyr les clers enseignemens de vertu, mais puis que Ilz ont
acoustuwe de voulentiers ouyr la doulceur des histoires lay
pense en mon cueur de demener mon pr^fsewt liure aulcunes-
fois par exemples, & de escrire quelle puissance ait dieu contre
les orgueilleux qui appellent dieu fortune. Et affin que len
ne doubte de quel temps ou de quelles pi?rsonnes nous traic-
tons en ce liure, nous respondons que des le commencement du
monde lusques a nostre temps nous voulons briefment de-
mener & descrire en appert les fortunes & les cas daulcuns roys,
ducz & C^e]] autres nobles hommes & femmes lesquelz fortune
communement a abbaissiez ^ de leurs haultains esta[t]s, & si
ne dis pas que le escripue de tous roys, ducz & autres nobles
[hommes], car II nest aucun engin si grant qui souffisist a si
grant labeur & peine, mais des nobles hommes & femmes II
me souffist prendre aulcuws des plus nobles affin que quant
les howmes verront par escript les princes du monde estre febles
& vains, & les roys ^exus & quotis lusques a [la]] terre par le
lugement de dieu, Ilz ayent congnoissance de la puissance
diuine & de la feblesse et muablete de lestat de fortune, &
que Ilz ayent mesure & attemprance^ entre les bieneuretez
mondaines. Et affin que per le peril la aduenu aux autres
Ilz puissent pourueoir a leur mesme prouffit, & aussy affin
que par continuel racomptement des histoires le ne face ennuy
a celuy que ce liure lira: lay determine tant pour prouffit
comme pour delectacion de reprendre & blasmer les vices des
personnes & de semer^ & mettre en aulcuns chapitres admon-
nestemens pour viure selon vertus, auquel hault commence-
ment & pour suite le prie humblement celuy enuers qui est
toute puissance quil me vueille estre fauorable & que II garde
& deffende ce que II me ottroiera escrire a la gloire de son nom.
LAURENCE'S PROLOGUE ^
Le prologue du translateur.
Selon raison et bonnes meurs lowme soy excercant en aulcune
science speculatiue ou aultre, peut honnestement muer son
conseil [ou propos] de bien en mieulx attendue la mutacion
des choses, des temps, & des lieux, & aussi peut vng potier
1 abbaissiez] abessez, du Pre. ^ attrempance, du Pre. * finer, du Pre.
* From du Pre's edition. This is the preface to the second version.
Laurence's Prologue liii
casser & rompre aulcun sien vaissel combien quil solt bien
fait, pour lui donner autre forme qui luy semble meilleure.
Et ceste licence de muer la chose en mieulx nest pas donnee
a lowme pour seullement amender ou corrigier sa propre oeuure,
ains mesmement est a chascun donnee pour ce faire en la be-
songne dautruy, mais que on le face par bonte de couraige
& par mouuement de pure ^ charite qui en soy ne contient
enuye ne arrogance. Comme doncques la pieca le laurens
de premier fait a lenhortement & requeste daulcuns euz trans-
late de latin en francois le moins mal qu<f le peuz vng tresno-
table & exquis liure de lehan boccace, des cas des nobles homme-
& femmes, en la translation du quel lay ensuyui precisement
& au luste les sentences prinses du propre langaige de lacteur,
qui est moult subtil & artificiel, & II soit vray que mesmes
aulcuns de ceulx qui se dient clers & hommes lettrez seufFrent
en eulx tresgrant dommage dignorance qui leur aduient par
defFaulte de trois sciences, qui enseignent droictement, vraye-
ment, & bellement parler, cestassauvoir grawmaire, logiqw(f,
& rethorique, parquoy II aduient (\ue les liures latins ditez
& escritz par les philosophes, poetes, & historiens bien en-
seignez en toutes sciences humaines sont moult loing & des-
seruez de lentendement que dame nature donne communement
aux hommes, [et|] pource doncques [jsecourir a ce tres grant
default il] conuient se me semble, que les liures latins en leurs
trenslacions soient muez & conuertis en tel lengaige que les
liseurs & escouteurs diceulx puissent comprendre lefFect de
la sentence sans trop grant & trop long trauail de entende-
ment. le doncques selon le lugement* commun en amendant,
se le puis, la premiere translacion du dit liure vueil sans riens
condawner autre ^ fois translater le dit liure. Affin cest as-
sauoir que de tant quil sera plus cler & plus ouuert en sentences
& en parolles, de tant II delectera a lire & a escouter plusieurs
hommes & fenrmes. Et par ce moyen auec laide de la grace
diuine apr<fs quilz congnoistront plus a plain la miserable
condicion & le tourment & le muable estat des choses de fortune,
Ilz les reputeront moins, ains les despriseront de tant plus &
estimeront les choses diuines & celestes qui ont vraye seurete
& loye pardurable. Et certain est que entre tous autres vol-
umes escriptz par a[u]cteurs historiens, ce present liure parlant
des doulces & ameres fortunes des nobles hommes & femmes
est de tressingulier prix & de noble exemple de vertus, car II
fait presque mencion ou en long ou en brief des histoires de
tous ceulx & celles qui depuis le commencement du monde
1 de pure charite, Royal i8. D. VII. and Royal 20. C. IV. Du Pre has
"de oeuure de charite."
' le lugement] lentendement, du Pre.
* autre] vne autre, du Pre.
liv Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
lusques a lehaw roy de France, mort prisonnier en angleterre,
ont eu puissances, richesses, dignitez, honneurs, & delectacions
mondaines, car fortune a de coustume de abatre lus & de froisser
presque tous ceulx quelle a esleue au plus hault degre de sa roe;
& par ainsy ce liure moult estroit & brief en parolles est entre
tous Qes^ autres liures le plus ample & le plus long a le droit
expliquer par sentences ramenables aux histoires, en faisant
done ceste beso[i]ngne longue, & espandue & recueillie de diuers
historiens par le moyen de la grace diuine. le vueil [[princi-
palment moy ficher] en deux choses cest assauoir mettre en
cler langaige les sentences du liure, & les histoires qui par
laucteur ^ sont si briefment toucheez que II nen met fors
seulement les noms. le les assouuiray selon la verite des vieilz ^
historiens qui au long les escriuirewt. Et si ne vueil pas dire
que lehan boccace, a[u]cteur de ce liure, qui en son temps fut
tresgrant & renomme historien, ait delaisse les dictes histoires
par Ignorance de les non auoir scenes, ou par orgueil de les
non daignier escripre, car II les auoit si propices a la main &
si ficheez en memoire, que II les reputa communes & cogneues
aux autres comme a soy. Affin doncqw^s que le liure ait toutes
ses parties et soit cowplet en soy, le les mettray briefmCnt
sans delaisser que trespou le texte de lacteur. Si prie dieu '
que a ceste oeuure commencer, moyenner & finer, me vueille
donner faueur & ayde. Et si requier les hommes que benigne-
ment me suportent & excusent en moy donnant pardon des
choses moins bien faictes ou dictes.
LAURENCE'S DEDICATION TO THE DUKE
OF BERRY*
[_Th{s appears only in Laurence's second version."}
A Puissant noble et excellent prince lehan filz de Roy de
france, due de berry et dauguerne, Conte de poitou, destampes
de boulongne & dauuergne, Laurens de premierfait, clerc et
vostre mains digne secretaire et serf de bonne foy, toute obe-
dience et subieccion deue comme a mon tresredoubte seigneur
et bienfaicteur, et agreablement recepuoir le labour de mon
estude et benignement excuser la petitesse de mon engin au
resgart de la grant besoigne de vostre commandement par
moy ia pieca entreprise et nouuelement finee. ^ Combien
que par vostre espicial mandement Je aye soubz la confiance de
vostre naturele benignite et en espoir de uostre gracieux aide
^ laucteur] les acteurs, du Pre.
^ vieilz] haulx, du Pre. ' dieu] a dieu, du Pre.
4 From MS. Royal i8. D. VII. (R), fol. z,ff., with a few corrections from
MSS. Royal 20. C. IV. (R 2) and Add. 18,750 (Add.)
Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry Iv
et confort entrepris le dongereux et long trauail de la trans-
lacion de vng tresexquis et singulier volume, des cas des nobles
hommes et femmes escript et compile par lehan bocacce de
Certald, ladis homme moult excellent et expert en anciannes
hystoires et toutes aultres sciences humaines et diuines. Neant-
moins pour lexcellence de celle ancienne Royale lignie dont
vous prenes naissance, et aussi de la noblesse de voz meurs
et uertus qui a bon droit desseruent pardurable beneurete
enuers dieu, et enuers les hommes louenge et renomnee. ^ la
long temps a que en obeissant a voz commandemens le toumai
mon couraige, a Iceulx acomplir ainsi comme le doy. Cest
asauoir a translater en langaige franco3's le volume dessuj
dit, contenant en latin neuf liures particuliers racomptans ou
en long ou en brief les malheureux cas des nobles hommes et
femmes qui depuis adam et eue, les premiers de tous hommes
monterent ou hault degre de la Roe de fortune, iusques au
temps de tres excellent et noble prince lehan, le premier de
ce nom, vostre tr^s loyal pere, ladiz Roy des francoys, du
quel le cas tresbriefment raconte, fait la fin de ce present volume.
Et pource doncques que ce present liure est intitule des cas
des nobles hommes et femmes, et que les cas semblent auoir
dependence et cause efl&cient de par fortune, ie veuil premiere-
ment et en brief selon mon aduiz yci dire la cause pour quoi
toutes les dignites et honneurs, richesses, puissances et glo[i]re
mondaines ^ samblent estre et soient subiectes a fortune, qui
tousdiz toume sa Roe en transmuant les choses de ce monde.
Et apres ie diray vne prouuable maniere par quoy chascuin
homme et femme puissent eulx afFranchir et exempter des
cas et des trebuschetz de fortune.
^ Pour quoy choses mondaines sent subiectes a fortune.
fl Pour declarer donques la premiere de ces deulx choses:
Sauoir affiert que au commancement homme et femme furent
de dieu creez auecques entiere beneurete et telement parfaiz
tant en corps comme en ame, que neiz les sages croient que
adam et eue, parens de tout humain lignaige, estoient immortelz
et impassibles se il[z] eussent bien gardee celle saincte et seule
loy que dieu leur ot donnee ou paradis de delices. Maiz pour
ce que contre eulx maismes esquelz estoit toute humaine nature.
Ilz getterent vng hazart par lequel ilz perdirent les princi-
paulx doarres- tant de corps comme de ame. Q Lenfrainte
et le comptent ' de celle seule loy entre les innumerables maulx
et infinis dogmages en engendra vng tres grief, par quoi toute
hu[m]aine creature * deuint subiecte a fortune et a sa moquerie.
Car deslors dieu soufFri que les choses du monde qui atous
estoient pareillement communes de uindrent propres selonc
* mondaine Add., R 2. * contempt R 2.
* douaires R 2, Add. * nature R 2, Add.
Ivi Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
la couuoltise de celui qui par violence et force les occupoit
pour soy. Et pource que tous les couraiges des hommes au
regart de leur premier conmencement sont tous semblables,
lun couuoita celle mesme chose que lautre occupoit. Maiz
pource que deulx ne peuent ensemble possider vne mesme
chose, II a couuenu que lun dechiee de son desir. Et celui
qui obtient ce que il desiroit sewble estre iuchiez ^ ou hault
degre de la roe de fortune, qui comme chamberi(?re de dieu
pour la punicion de leurs pechies, vne foiz haulse et autre
foiz abaisse hommes et femmes saws discreccion ne aduiz et
non pas selon la quawtite des merites des hommes. Maiz p<3r
vne confuse maniere dont les causes sont euidens a dieu. Maiz
les hommes comme ignorans de lordrenance diuine ne peuent
congnoistre telles causes. Quant donqw<fz lomme par quel-
conque moien monte du bas estat ou hault on lappelle beneureux,
Et le descendement on le appelle ou cas ou malheurte puis
que celui qui descent sefforce au contraire et que cest maulgre
soy. Par quoy cestui liure est apelle des cas des nobles hommes
et fenmes. ^ Et comme donques iuste punicion ait este cause
par quoi les howmes et les biens de ce monde furent et sont
soubzmiz a fortune et a sa moquerie, en tant que les estatz
de toutes choses mondaines sont enfermes et soubdainement
muables, et en espicial des haultes choses trop plus que des
moyennes. En la punicion des deulx premiers parens qui
orguilleusement enfraingnirent la loy a eulx donnee, la iustice
de dieu fut estroitement et droictement gardee parce que
tous participent la moquerie de fortune qui se loue en esleuant
et en trebuchant les hommes. Car puis ^ que adam & eue
mistrent en rafle toute la bienheurte huwaine en cuidant icelle
agrandir et en desobeissant Il[z] perdirent leur chance, Ilz
deslierent a tous le malheur que auoit atachie dieu a vne forte
coulompne et soubmistrent eulx et toute leur succession aus
tournoiemens de la roe de fortune et a ses trebuchetz. Il[zl
ouurirent les portes a tous pechies. Il[z] dechacierent de ce
monde les uertus et geterent en terre la semence de tous vices
que Jamais neussent este nommez ne congneuz entre hommes.
Et ainsi comme toute nature humaine estoit a done en deux,
adam et eue, qui par leur franc arbitre hazarderent toute
leur beneinete,' aussi nous tous descendus deulx sommes par
droit compaignons de celle perte. Car se il[z] eussent gaigne
et actaint la chose aquoy il[z] tendoient, chascun en voulsist
estre compaignon et parsonnier. Aulcuns par aduenture ses-
bahissent powr quoy tant de nobles hommes et femmes cy
apres racontes chayrent si miserablem<fnt du tres hault au tres
bas. Et mesmement alain le pouete se complaint, pource
que les iniustes et mauues hommes sont tres souuent esleues
* enchiez Add. ' deputs Add., R 2. • bienheurte R 2.
Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry Ivii
aux tres haulx estatz du monde. Et a ces deulx pointz, Alain
respont vraiement et embrief, Cest assauoir, que fortune les
esleua en hault afin quil[z] descendissent par plus grief trebuchet
qui les desrompe & froisse selon la pesanteur de leurs iniquites;
puis donquez que iay briefment monstre que les cinq dons de
fortune qui contiennent tous les biens mondains et transsitoires
sont droittement par ordrenance diuine soubzmis a fortune
et a sa moqw^rie. le vueil monstrer cleres voyes et manieres
par les queles tant hommes comme femmes puissent eulx et
leurs choses exempter et affranchir des cas et de trebuchetz
de fortune.
Comment lomme affranchist soy et ses choses de fortune.
Et pource que ceste matere est dongereuse et obscure enuers
aulcuns, premierement ie suppose pour uray que se les biens
de aulcun Homme ne lui semblent tres grans et tres larges
il est meschant et poure combien que il feust seigneur de tout
le monde. Et celui est Homme malHeureux et poure qui selon
sa droicte conscience ne iuge soy estre bienHeureux, la soit
ce que tout le monde feust soubz sa seignorie. Et cellui nest
beneureux ne parfait qui par son propre lugement ne le cuide
estre, Et riens ne vault se aulcun repute soy beneureux qui est
plain de ricHesses, se il vit et ait uescu desHonnestement et mal,
et celui na en soy aulcune felicite qui est seigneur de maintes
cHoses, Maiz il est serf de plusieurs. ^ Ces cinq cHoses dessus
dictes ne cheent lamaiz en Homme sage. Se donques Homme
veult soy affrancher et exempter de malHeur II lui conuient
auoir la uertu de sapience qui en soy seule contient tous biens
sans commixcion de mal. ^ Le sage Homme est en soy si par-
fait et si bienHeureux que neiz pour bien viure II na besoing
lamy.^ Le sage nest point subget a fortune, comme Seneque
le preuue par vne exemple de demetrius ancian Roy de Surie,
qui par tirannie occupa main[t]s pays et ardi maintes Cites
de partHie et de oriant. En lune des cites de partHie estoit
adonc vng moult sage pHilo[so]pHe nomme Stilbon, qui auoit
femme, enfans, possessions et aultres RicHesses temporelles.
Toutes ses cHoses furent arses, perdues & degastees par le
tirant Demetrius et ses gens. Maiz Stilbon tout seul escHapa
bienHeureux. Or aduint que demetrius lui demanda sil auoit
perdu aulcunes siennes choses, et il vraiement et sagement
respondi, quil nauoit riens perdu, aincois dist: tous mes biens
sont auesques moy. La responce de Stilbon fist doubteux le
tirant en tant que II cuida que stilbon leust vaincu, pour ce
que il dist toutes mes cHoses demeurent auecques moy; et
uerite disoit, car auecques lui estoient les uertus lustice, pru-
dence, magnanimite, attemprance^ et la doulce memoire de
ses uertueuses oeuures continuees sans les queles aucun ne
' Iamy3 damy R. * attemprance] attrempance R.
Iviii Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
puet luger soy estre beneureux. Car homme indigne et mau-
uaiz ne puest auoir sentement de iuger soy estre beneureux.
Ains conuient que tous iours et nom pas en pou de temp quil
ait bien uescu selon le droit iugement de soy mesmes. ^ Et
aussi II nest homme aqui ces choses ne deplaisent fors que au
sage. Car toute folie et aussi chascun fol engendre souuent a
soy mesmes desplaisir et ennuy.
Comment lacteur parle du cas de leglise presente et des
prestres.
Helas, las, et troys foys las, par faulte de ceste sapience,
mere et nourrice de toutes vertus diuines et humaines cheirent
Adam et eue, et par eulx est toute leur succession habandonnee
au cas & trebuschetz de fortune. Quelz cuers tant soient durs
pourroient soy abstenir de douleur? Quelz yelx tant soient
secz se porroient soi abstenir de larmes quant les hommes
voient clerement et congnoissent les cas ia aduenus des troys
estatz du monde.'' Cest assauoir, des prestres, des nobles
hommes, aussi des laboureurs de cestui temps. ^ Car quant
aux prestres qui par crasse ignorance ne congnoissent eulx
estre cheuz de leur ancianne beneurete. le di, sauue la paix,
des bons que ainsi comme dame chastete qui est la singuliere
et souueraine beaulte des femmes apres le temps du iuste
roy Saturnus. Chai et tomba ou temps de son filz lupiter
Roy de Crete par les exces et superfluites qui suruindrent en
delicieuses viandes en a tours orguilleux et sumptueux baptisse-
mens de maisons et en aultres adminicules seruans a seule
deshonneste delectacion. Aussi lancianne sanctite des pr<rstres
est cheue et versee par la trop grant habondawce de Richesses
mondaines qui soubz vmbre de la saintite de lesxxs crist et de
aulcuns siens disciples ont este donnees aux prestres par aulcuws
princes mondains qui a aulcuns les tollirent pour les donner
aux prestres ausquelx il vaulsist mielx selon lancienne saintite
viure des saincts decimes qui sont deuz par droit diuin que
eulx voultrer et pourrir de dens orguilleux palays ou fiens des
pechies auecques leurs grans et dommageuses richesses. ^ He-
las, noble et excellant prince, ne doit len bien gemir, douler
et plourer le cas et le tombement des prestres de cestui temps,
qui en tout ou en partie forslignent et desuoient de la sante
des anciens, qui par leurs larmes et oracions soloient mou-
uoir dieu et les uertus des cieulx contre les aduersaires de la
foy catholique. ^ Les sains prestres ancians sont en lewrs
successeurs telment dessaintiz que maintenant len forge heaul-
mes de mittres, len fait lawces des croces, len fait des uestemens
sacerdotalz haubergons, plattes et aultres pieces darmes bait-
ailleresses pour trauailler et asseruir les hommes simples et
innocens. Les pr^fstres de cestui temps poursuiuent armes
et paueillons, il font [IJarsins et violences pupliqw^s; Ilz ont
plaisir et loye despendre sang humain; Ilz sefForcent de occuper
Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry lix
la seignorie du monde centre la sentence du vray lesxxs, filz
de dieu, disant en leuuangile, que son Roiaulme nest pas de
cestui monde. ^ Les prestres en cestui temps emplient les
sales des toys, les palays et les tables en delaissand leurs
eglises, dont ilz se nomnent espoux. Ilz delaissent les choses
saintes et poursuiuent les prophanes; Ilz sont pastours sans
paistre ne congnoistre les brebis: Eulx que leglise fist nobles
excercent vilz oflBces; Ilz desseruent par procureurs et vicaires
qui deux foj'S tendent les simples brebiettes: La premiere
tonture est aux vicaires, et la seconde est au pastour surnomme.
^ Par le bannissement de celle ancianne sainctite, Cent mal-
heureux cas sont aduenus, car le deable qui par les merites
de la mort du bon i^jus et de ses victorieux martirs et glorieux
confesseurs auoit este loies en labisme denfer par les nou-
ueaulx pechies des nouueaux prestres, et du simple peuple qui
est adheurtes en leur oeuures, est ia pieca des loie et sa[i]lli hors
denfer. Et ia defait comme loup violent et forsene atraict a
soy, las moy tresgrant partie des brebis coz/zmises en la garde
du bon pastour S. Pierre, par quoy le bon i^fjus, vray espoux
et pastour de sainte eglise, a retiree sa main du gouuemement
de elle. Et est ia en vostre temps la chose atant venue, par
le pechie principalment des prestres, et secondement du peuple
que par eulx la loy c^ristianne est presque perie maintenant.
La Robe de \es\xs sans piece et sans cousture, a este, par xxxij
ans trenchee en deulx, puis en troys pieces. ^ Et ou saint
et noble corps deglise dont lesm est le seul chief sont seur-
creues troys testes a maniere de ung monstre. Et ne remaint
que a trespou, que la nef de saint pierre ne ait este absorbie
et noiee es flocz de lamer de ce monde par le uice des nanton-
niers qui la deuoient tenir ou port de repos et de seurte. En
brief, content le cas de leglise militant, excellent, noble et
puissant prince, le prie humblement vous et tous aultres
que uous me excuses benignement. Car le entens dire sobre-
ment les choses que vous et Cent Mil hommes aues veues et
vncores voyez: et le assez le voy se lay sentement ne memoire.
Et pource ie ne allegue aulcuns autteurs ne liures, car ces
paroles ont fontaine et naiscence de vne familiere epistre es-
cripte par lehan Boccace, premier aucteur de ce liure. En
celle epistre II pleure & regrecte le cas de mondaine noblesse.
Laucteur parle du cas de noblesse mondaine.
O dist il, bon dieu de sapience qui tout sees et congnoys,
enseigne moy, le te prie, en quele partie du morzde soit reposte
noblesse dont les empereurs & roys portent les tiltres princi-
paulx? car le layquise en lostel de Cesar Roy des Rommains,
de qui les ancesseurs par longs labours et par exquises dili-
gences et par nobles oeuures de victorieuses armes ladis con-
quistrent la monarchie du monde. ^ Maiz las moy, lai trouue
que lempereur de ce temps a oublie, ou au moins il dissimule,
Ix Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
les proesses et loanges et les magnifiques besoingnes de ses
predecesseurs. II a laissie le glorieux estude de Mars ^ le dieu
des batailles et sest du tout adonne a bachus le dIeu du vin;
II a delaissie la riche, ancianne et notable Italie es mains de mil
titans, et sest ale repondre & dormir entre les naiges et grans
hanaps de vin en celle part dallemaigne qui gist au coste destre
deuers soleil couchant ou derrain anglet du monde. ^ O las,
bon dieu, com poure miroer de noblesse, quel exemple de che-
ualerie pour les roys et aultrifz princes du monde quant il[z]
voient fetardie, peresse, oysiuete et entonnrisseur en celui
qui deust a lexample de soy en hotter, esmouuoir, semondre
et esueiller les autres princes a maintenir et defFendre les con-
questz de l^wrs noblez awcestrez et a Iceulx amplier ^ et ac-
croistre. Du corps de lempereur ainsi comme ou soleil soloient
liure et resplendir toutes uertus qui appartement se monstroient
par nobles euures dehors les vertus soient de corps ou de courage,
qui ne monstrent au dehors leurs propres oeuures ne rendewt
howme plus noble ne que la lune enlumine le monde quant
la terre sest mise entre le soleil & la face de la lune. ^ O no-
blesse mondaine, fille des nobles meurs & nourrie du lait des
saintes vertuz qui est celui q^i ta vanny des hostelz voiaulx,
& aussi des aultres princes? Tu respons que longuement tu
habitas nomme comme hostesse en lostel des roys francoys, et
que illenc volentiers demouroies, maiz que icelle erreur cessast
parquoy aucuns folement cuiderent & encor*? dient qjie seule-
ment ce nest pas laide chose a vng roy congnoistre les figures
des lettres, maiz il cuident et dient que cest tresgrant empire-
ment de maieste Royale. Maiz telz howmes sont folz qui
ainsi dient et qui condempnent telle chose es Roys, parquoy
les hommes ignobles sont droittement anoblis; car droit office
de Roy et daultres princes est chacun iour seoir en siege iudica-
tour, ouir paciemment et sagement examiner les merites des
causes sur les controuersies de leurs hommes subgetz, et rendre
droit aux parties selon balence de iustice. ^ DefFendre les Inno-
cens et punir les mauuaiz, procurer princilpalment le pupliqw^
proufit, et apres le bien priue que len appelle demaine pource
que il vient des mains et du labour du peuple en la main du
prince, qui de sa puissant main doit garder et defFendre le
peuple Impotent. Et certes clere chose est, que office royal
ne puest homme sans science et sans art droictement {^conduire
et] excercer, Ainsi comme vng patron de nauire ne puet bonne-
ment condu[i]re en mer tempestueuse et vndoiant vne grant
nef sans gouuernail, sans voile, ne sans remmes. ^ Et auoir
en tour soy hommes lettres et nobles commis en offices publiques,
ne monstre pas asses plainement la sapience ne la noblesse du
roy, ou daultre prince, se il mesme nest lettres et expert en
* de Mars3 maiz R. * amplier^ employer R.
Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry Ixi
oeuure de sapience et en discipline darmes, cest vng corbiau
vestu de plumes de paon. Et prince sans lettres se assorte
a lasne qui coronne porte, Et sil nest aulcun homme bon iuge
fors que es choses que il congnoist lamaiz archier ne tire droit
sa flesche, se il na aulcun signe deuant soy. ^ O dieu, quel
grant louenge et beneurete seroit a vng roy ou aultre prince
cowgnoistre les causes de toutes choses auec celle noblesse se
aulcune soit que viengne aux enfans de par leurs peres. Car
ainsi comme vng iardin con plante de diuerses especes darbres
& herbes flories et oudourans est plus noble et pluj- precieulx,
aussi sont enfans de nobles hommes qui sont nourris entre
les fleurs des sciences & oudeurs des vertus, et qui ont longue-
ment este repeuz des fruitz. Attendu que noblesse nest pas
hereditaire; car elle prent naiscence de vertuz et bonnes oeu-
ures; Et combien que en punicion du pechie des premiers parens
Adam & Eue seruitute par souffrence de dieu soit introduicte
entre les hommes, en tant que les aulcuns seruent et les aultres
seignorient nompas selon droit naturel ne ciuil, maiz par le
droit des gens qui contient douze choses, dont seruitute est
lune, neantmoins aulcuns nobles de ce temps sont si descheus
de lestat de uraye noblesse que follement Ilz cuident eulz
et non aultres estre hommes et que ilz puissent faire pareile-
ment toutes choses permises et defFendues sans encourir ne
difFame ne peine combien que il soit aultrement. ^ Car tout
vice de courage est plus griefnjent a punir de tant comme le
pecheur est en plus grant degre. Et se dieu sage et iuste seufFre
et veult que les roys et princes et aultres nobles aient espee
de puissance sur leurs subgetz II toute uoies ne veult quilz
excercent fureur ne cruaulte, car aux nobles principalment
affiert auoir clemence qui met equitte deuant rigueur et veult
plus encliner a merci que a uerzgence sans faillir hors des termes
de iustice, sans laqu<fle Roys ne sont roys ne royaulmes. Ains
sont tirans cruelz et tirannies. ^ Par ainsi donqui?s appert
que le plus grief cas et le plus dampnable trebuschetz de noblesse
cest forsbanir et dechassier sciences et vertus de lostel des
roys, et aultres princes ainsi comme il aperra clerem^nt par
le compte des cas des nobles malheureux descriptz en ce pres-
ent volume.
Ci parle lacteur du cas des laboureux champestres.
Or vienge a dire le cas des saintz laboureurs et tresbien
fortunes, Maiz que ilz aient congnoissance de la quantite des
biens que fortune leur donne. Et certes, puissant, noble et
excellant prince, es choses dessus di'c/es en ce present prologue
lusquez yci len me doit tenir pour raco7?;pteur des paroles
de lehan Boccace en vne sienne familiere epistre: et chacun
aussi congnoist la verite des deux cas de prestrise et de mondaine
noblesse. ^ Maiz quant au tiers cas present parquoy ie vueil
monstrer le tresbuchet des laboureurs, et de la chose rustique.
Ixii Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
le prens uirgile powr mon auteur et maistre. Aulcun done
ne se m^rueille se le dy que lestat des laboureurs et de leurs
choses ait este et soit subjet au cas de fortune: Combien que
commun prouerbe soit que aulcun homme ne chiet, fors celui
que siet en hault. Car en toutes choses sur quoy enuie gecte
ses yeulx dame fortune y entreprent seignourie, la soit ce aussi
que lendieque laboureurs sont de si bas estat que fortune ne
les pourroit abaisser. Maiz sauue la paix de ceulx qui aiwsi
dient car se les laboureurs et leurs choses rustiqMifs feussent
ou [en]corez soubz celle beneurete et franchise en quoy ladiz
il furent et oncorez deussent estre selon les loyx anciennes
approuuees diuines et humaines, II nest aulcun aultre estat
qui ait en soy teles excellances en profis en delitz et en honnes-
tetes publiques et priues comme la vie et lestat des labou-
reurs, par qui les hommes sont soustenus et nouris en necessite
de corps et les sacrifices diuins sont admenistres selon la re-
ligion publique. C| O bon dieu, quant ladiz les cites tambois-
soient par discensions, riotes et batailles cruelles, quant chasti-
aulx et chastelains guerroient les vngs contre les aultres. Adonc
les laboureurs contens de leurs propres biens viuoient et de-
lectable et continuelle paix en mutuelle amour sanz soufFrir
aulcun dowmage, rapine ou violensce, ne en corps ne en biens:
On laissoit iadiz cites murees et chasteaux assiz sur roches
pour eschapper mesaises et perilz qui illenques souruenoient,
Et venoit len aux villaiges ouuers et bas assiz pour y trouuer
aisances et seurtes, Et pour auoirer mon dit en labourages
terrestres sont prouffilz et delectacions Innumerables si haulte-
ment descriptz et racomptes par tulle, noble orateur rommain,
en son liure de vieillesse lequel vous auez comme ie croy oy
diligewment et entendu, que ie nen vueil pr^sentement escripre,
Maiz Ie vueil neantmoins auec vostre bon plaisir plourer
apr<?s vous les cas des saintz laboureurs de la chose rustique
pource que la chose ^ publique et la religion de vostre noble
couraige se doit moult encliner a secourir aux choses tres dom-
mageuses aux hommes detestables enuers dieu. ^ Las moy
bon dieu, quele moquerie, quel monstre en bonnes meurs, quel
abuz de iustice est ce maintenant veoir les hommes laboureurs,
simples innocens sans cruaulte et sans armes, qui nuit et lour
demeurent en poures maisonettes si sobremi?nt, repeuz et
vestuz de leurs propres labours que a paines II appaisent la
faim, et de vilz palestreaux II cueuurcent leurs mewbres recourbes
et frossiez par continuel labour, Ilz qui purement nourissent
leurs fewmes et enfans afin de les endurcir aux saints labours
de la terre, Il[z] departent tout le temps de leur vie en trois pars:
Premierement a dieu seruir en prieres et sacrifices, a titer
par continuel labour des boyaulx de la terre toutes choses
' chose]] pitie Add., R.
Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry Ixiii
necessaires a la vie, Et a multiplier par leurs saintz mariages
succession de lignie. Certes en ces iij choses na riens qui ne
soit accordant a la loy diuine et humaine. La vie des labou-
reurs champestres droittement examinee et congneue sambla
tele aux ancians nobles hommes, philosophes et princes quilz
instituerent par editz et par loix que ce lui seroit repute et
pugny comme sacrilege qui ofFendroit et rauiroit leurs labours
ou leurs biens feust en champ ou en ville. Et pource furent
ilz et oncores sont appelles saintz. ^ Mais, puissant, noble et
excellent prince, escoutez sil vous plaist le miserable cas de
ces laboureurs et de leur chose rustique aux quelz se par vous
ou aultre aiant puissance, voulente et sagesse nest briefment
secouru et pourueu en vostre temps, de remede couuenable.
Dieu, qui ne het ^ aulcun et qui de tous a merci et en espicial
des bons simples laboureurs et aultres hommes iustes, II
retirera sa main a sa beniuolance des prestres et des nobles
qtti ne gardent misericorde, ne Justice enuers eulx, ne enuers
les aultres. Ains les soubz marchent et foulent. II aduenra
que dieu leur ostera, Raison dentendement, honneur de ancian
estat et les vestira de confusion. II espressira les tenebres
de leurs ywelx; II mettra trebuschetz a leurs piez afin quilz
cheent du tres hault au tres bas. ^ II ramenra a neant ou
transportera en aultres mains leurs orguilleuses richesses, hon-
neurs, gloires, dignites et puissances. le ne vous persuade
ne admonneste pas car vous aduisez asses par les yeulx de
vostre pensee & ceulx de vostre corps, quele et com grant
iniquite, seu[e]r[i]te et austerite ce soit voir les simples labou-
reurs proufitables a tous et nuisans a nul homme estre par apperte
violence [^oppressez etj] dechasses de leurs propres ^ maisons,
mutiles, batus, Iniuries de fait et de paroles; leurs fames a
hontages, leurs filles corrompuees, et leur aultres choses trans-
glouties et gastees ou mises a rampson par les nobles hommes
darmes de ce temps, ausquelz les roys et princes deputent
ou au moins doiuent commettre la garde et la defFense des
saintz laboureurs et de leur chose rustique. ^ De leurs gaings
et labours sont comblees et esplendies les tables des Roys,
des princes et daultres quel[z]conques nompas seulement
hommes mayz bestes et oyseaulx soient priuees ou sauuaiges.
Et en eulx est tele frugalite et sobresse que pour aisier et se-
courir les aultres Ilz seuffrent voluntairement disettes et me-
saises: Ilz portent sanz Reclam le lou de seruitute et le grief
faiz de truage, Ilz regrettent seulement que ilz ne possident
mie en seurte et en paix ce pou qui leur demeure apres dame
sainte eglise et leurs aultres seigneurs satisfaitz de leurs rentes,
demaines et subsidies. ^ Entre les trois griefz tresbuchetz
de tele beneurte comme laboureurs ont liniquite et malice
* het3 ^i2>t» Add. - propres] poures, R a.
bciv Laurence's Dedication to the Duke of Berry
des ministres des deulx iuridicions, eccliastique et seculiere
cest la plwj- mortele plale qui plus dedens les naure et le diluge
qui plus les sangloutist. Car a hommes corrumpus de tous
vices en ce temps est cowmise ladministracion et lespee de
Justice a luger les simples et Innocens laboureurs. ^ Es cours
iudicatoires ^ sont aduocatz et procureurs bien instruitz en
baratz et cauteles conseillans, a mouuoir et nourrir plaiz et
controuersies soit a bon droit et ^ a tort, afin de tirer ou goufFre
de leur couuoitise les deniers des parties plaidoiaws soubz
faulse couleur de auoir loyaulment conseille et defFendu les
causes. Las moy, ne souffisoit II assez selon les saintz droitz
canons que les prelatz aians les premieres dignitez en sainte
eglise eussent comment ^ il ont leurs diligens Archediacres
pour aduiser et enquenx par les Cites et dioceses les crimes
et exces parpetres par les howmes et iceulx rapporter aux
oreilles des prelatz des lieux, afin de iceulx punir et corrigier
selon iustice. Certes il souffisoit a dieu, maiz non pas au
deable ne aux siens, car afin que soubz fardee Justice toute
la substance des simples laboureurs viengne a saouler la faim
de la mauldite couuoitise des Euesques et aultres hommes
deglise. Ilz mettent officiers en leurs cours, hommes barbares
et sans pitie, sans bonnes meurs, sans uertus et sans sciences
qui nuit et lour espient par queles voiez Ilz puissent accuser
et traire en lugement simples et Innocens hommes plus dignes
destre absolz que comdempnes. ^ Pource, excellant, noble et
puissant prince, ce que le scay vostre singulier plaisir et toute
vostre estude tournes en la partie de commune bonte et que
aux malheureux cas dessus diets wous comme puissant et sage,
poues et sauez pourueoir et secourir. Et que vos salutaires
cowmandemens attendue lauctorite de vostre noble et com-
mandable vieillesse, peeuent souuerainement reparer les choses
deformeez et confermer les bonnes, le au surcroys de tout
ce liure ay mis fiablement ce prologue a fin que chacun
congnoisse que vouz nestes pas seulement nez pour vous, Maiz
pour profiter a tous en ouura?it la voye deschaper les cas de
fortune muable et au[e]uglesse parce que vous abandonnez
a tous le plain entendement du volume dessus dit, du quel
par vostre commandement lay entrepris la charge de le trans-
later de latin en langaige francoys. ^ Si vueillez donques
excellant, noble et puissant prince, mon tres singulier bien-
faitteur et redoubte seigneur, defFendre ma cause comme la
vostre propre contre les enuieux, qui sans iuste cause vouldront
malicieusement contrester a ceste vostre oeuure qui par moy
est ourdie et terue au moins mal selon mon pouoir. Et pour
leuident n[e]cessite et pour le iuste desir que lay dauoir bon
1 iudicatoires] ludiciares, R 2. ^ et] ou, Add., R 2.
• comment] comme, Add., R i.
Laurence* s Dedication to the Duke of Berry Ixv
commancement et de meilleur moyen et de tres bonne fin en
ceste besoigne qui ne peuent daultre venir fors de celui qui
sans en auoir moins donne a tous ces dons de grace. ^ le
prie, appelle et requier dieu a qui fortune obeit, qui trebuche
et drece les hommes selon leurs pechiez et uertus que par sa
surhabundant grace II enrichisse mon ame de science sans
errer, et ma bouche de paroles accordans a verite et me donne
bonnes meurs sanz desroguer a la diuine loy: Et quil conduie
ma plume diligemnent escruiant sanz langoureuse paresse au
commun prouffit de touz et a la loange diuine.
' L t>J'>
i.v V
THE FALL OF PRINCES
BOOK I.
PROLOGUE.
CHere begynneth the book callyd I. Bochas des-
criuyng the falle of F^rjmcys pryncessys and
othir nobles translatid in to Inglissh bi lohn
Ludgate Monke of the Monastery of seynt
Edmundes Bury atte commaundement of the
worthi prynce Humfrey duk of Gloucestre
begynnyng at Adam & endyng wit/i kyng
lohnc take prisonere in Fraunce bi Prynce
Edward.] ^
HE that whilom dede his dilligence [p. i]
The book of Bochas in Frensh to translate
Out of Latyn, he callid was Laurence;
The tyme trewli remembrid and the date, 4
The yere * whan kyng lohn thoruh his mortal fate
Was prisoner brouht to this regioun,
Whan he first gan on this translacioun.
In his prologe afFermyng ofF resoun,
TArtificeres hauyng exercise
May chaunge and tume bi good discrecloun
Shappis, formys, and newli hem deuyse,
Make and vnmake in many sondry w>'se,
As potteres, which to that craft entende,
Breke and renewe ther vesselis to a-mende.
\ Thus men oflF crafft may off due riht,
That been inuentifF & han experience,
Fantasien in ther inward siht
Deuises newe thoruh ther excellence;
Expert maistres han therto licence
Fro good to bettir for to chaunge a thyng,
, And semblabli these clerkis in writyng,
/ Thyng that was maad of auctowrs hem befom,
Thei may off newe fynde and fantasie,
Ljrdgate says
that Laurence
de Premierfait
began his
translation
in the year
that King
lohn of
France
was brought
prisoner to
England.
3 As craftsmen
use their
powers of
invention,
jg so may
skilled clerks
amend and
improve their
originals.
3. he3 erased in H.
16. han|] have H.
S. The yere] Yeer B, R, H, There J.
1 MS. J. leaf I a.
if they are
modest and
free from
envy.
as was
Laurence.
He excelled
as a writer
of French,
but felt it
to be a great
task to write
the Fall of
Princes.
/
No rose is
without a
thorn,
no man so
high in his
estate that
he may not
fall.
Prologue Qbk. i
Out of old chafF trie out ful cleene corn, 24
Make it more fressh and lusti to the eie,
Ther subtil witt and ther labour applie,
With ther colours agreable off hewe,
Make olde thynges for to seeme newe, 28
Afforn prouydid that no presumpcioun
In ther chaungyng haue noon auctorite,
And that meeknesse haue dominaciouw,
Fals Envie that she not present be; 32
But that ther grouwd with parfit charite
Conueied be to ther auauntage,
Trewli rootid a-myd of ther corage.
Thus Laurence fro hym envie excludid, 36
Thouh toforn hym translatid was this book,
Withywne hymsilff he. fulli hath concludid,
Vpon that labour whan he caste his look,
He wolde amende it; but first he forsook 40
Presumpcioun, and took to hym meeknesse,
In his prologe as he doth expresse.
In which processe, lik as I am lerid.
He in his tyme off cuwnyng dede excelle 44
In ther language, therfore he was requerid
Off estatis, which gan hym eek compelle,
A-mong hem holde off rethorik the welle,
To vndirfonge this labour they hym preie, 48
And* ther request he lowli dede obeie.
Ful weel he felte the labour was notable,
The fall of nobles, with eueri circumstauwce,
From ther lordshippes, dreedful and vnstable, 52
How that thei fill to putte in remembrauwce,
Therin to shewe Fortunys variauwce,
That othre myhte as in a merour see
In worldly worshepe may be no surete. 56
Bi exauwple, as there is no rose
Spryngyng in gardeyns, but ther be sum thorn,
Nor fairer blosme than Nature list dispose.
Than may ther beute, as men ha[ue] seyn toforn, 60
With bittir wyndes be fro ther braunchis born,
24. ful]wolH, well R 3, wel P — out]om.H5. 46. gan^canR.
49. And] And he B — he] om. R — lowly he dide J.
58. gardeyns] gardyn H. 61. fro] frome H.
BK. l]
Prologue
Nor noon so hih in his estat contune
Fre fro thawaityng & daunger of Fortune.
Wherfore Bochas for a memoriall, 64
Consid[e]ryng the grete dignitees
Off worldli pryncis in ther power roiall,
Grete emperours, estatis and degrees,
How Fortune hath cast hem from ther sees; 68
/ Namly such as koude hemsilff nat knowe,
\Ful sodenly to make hem lyn ful lowe.
This said auctour, auise and riht sad,
Hath gadred out, with rethoriques sueete, 72
In dyuers bookes which that he hath rad,
Off phihsophres and many an old poete,
Besied hym bothe in cold and hete*
Out to compile and writen as he fond 76
The fall of nobles in many dyuers lond.
Vpon whos book in his translacioun
This seid Laurence rehersith in certeyn,
And holdith this in his opynyoun, 80
/ Such language as open is and pleyn
y Is more acceptid, as it is ofFte seyn,
Than straunge termys which be nat vndirstande,
Namly to folkis that duellyn vp-on lande. 84
And* he seith eek, that his entencioun [p. 2]
Is to a-menden, correcten and declare;
Nat to condempne off no presumpcioun,
But to supporte, pleynli, and to spare 88
Thyng touchid shortly off the story bare,
Vndir a stile breeff and compendious.
Hem to prolonge whan thei be vertuous:
For a stor^"^ which is nat pleynli told, 92
But constreynyd vndir woordes fewe
For lak off trouthe, wher thei be newe or old.
Men bi report kan nat the mater shewe;
These ookis grete be nat doun ihewe 96
First at a strok[e], but bi long processe,
( Nor longe stories a woord may not expresse.
Bochas was
the original
compiler
of the Fall
of Princes.
Laurence
held that !t
is good to
write simply
and dearly.
and he said
that he would
amplify the
story wherever
necessary;
for a narrative
must not be
too condensed.
63. fro3 frome H — of dawnger & H. 68. from] fro R.
75. and] and in B, H, & eke in R 3. - —
85. And] As B, R, — eek] also J. 94. newe] yong H.
95. report] reprot R.
4 Prologue [^bk. i
Rewrote YoT which, plcynli, this noble translatour
Caste off purpos these stories for to write, loo
And for to doon his dilHgent labour
As thei fill in ordre to endite,
That men afFtir myhte hemsilfF delite,
Auentures, so as thei fill in deede, 104
Off sundry pryncis to beholde & reede,
seeti^raiT^^ ,And hauc a maner contemplaciouw,
"^ That thynges all, wher Fortune may atteyne,
<.Be transitory of condiciouw; 108
For she off kynde is hasti & sodeyne,
Contrarious hir cours for to restreyne.
Off wilfulnesse she is so variable, m
Whan men most truste, than is she most chauwgable.
fs deceitful!"'' And for hir chaung and for hir doubilnesse.
This Bochas biddith* that men sholde enclyne
Sette ther hertis, void off vnstabilnesse,
Vpon thynges which that been deuyne, 116
Where-as ioie perpetueli doth shyne
Withoute eclipsyng in that heuenli see,
Void off all cloudis off mutabilite.
see that all
things are
transitory
S<^
we must set
our hearts on
divine and
permanent
things.
bot'h of j!^^r* Among, this Bochas writith off suetnesse 120
And off materes that lusti been and glade,
And sumwhile he writt off wrechidnesse.
And how Fortune kan floure & afftir fade —
Ioie vndir cloude, prosperite in the shade, 124
Entirchauwgyng off euery maner thyng,
Which that men feele, heer in this world lyvyng.
And in his processe, who-so list beholde.
Off alle estatis, off hih and louh degre, 128
And off pryncis bothe yong and olde.
Fro the begynnyng, which in this world ha be,
Lyuyng in ioie or in aduersite.
Fro the firste he descendith doun i3«
Off ther fortune be pleyn descripcioun.
Afim'a'Ifd '''''' Off the most noble he ne spareth noon,
But settith hem in ordre ceriously,
Gynnyth at Adam & endith at kyng lohn, 136
; joy
and sorrow
and of
Fortune's
mutability
He told the
story of all
eitates,
ending with
King John
of France.
U'^Y
1 14. biddith] bitt B, but R, bydde H 5. 120. writith] writ H.
126. heer in this world lyvyng] in this world her lyvyng H.
129. yong] of yong H.
BK. l]
Prologue
Ther auentures rehersyng by and by,
Off this kyng lohn concludyng fynaly,
How that he was, for al his gret puissance,
Off prynce Edward take prisoner in France.
This seid[e] Bochas, auctour off this book,
Which off stories hadde gret intelligence,
Summe he leffte [and] summe also he took, —
Such as he leffte was off no necligence,
Supposyng and demyng off credence,
Alle the stories which that comoun be,
(Other knew hem also weel as he.
And lest that folk wolde haue had disdeyn,
■^i:::^ Thynges comoun to put in memorie,*
Therfore Bochas thouhte it was but veyn.
To his name noon encres off glorie,
, To remembre no cronvcle nor historie,
140
144
148
What he left
out is of (mall
conteqaence.
for he induded
all the best
and most
famous
histories.
But tho that wern for ther merit notable.
I Auctorised, famous and comendable.
In his labour hauyng a delit,
That the mater gretli myhte auaile.
Do plesance to the comon profit.
Off noble stories to make rehersaile,
Shewyng a meroz^r how al the world shal faile,
And how Fortune, for al ther hih renouw,
Hath vpon pryncis iurediccioun.
The which[e] thyng, in ful sobre wise.
He considred in his inward entent.
In his resoun gan to aduertise,
Seyng off princis the blynd entendement.
With worldli worshep how that thei be blent,
As thei sholde euer ther estatis keepe.
And as Fortune were I-leid to sleepe.
As thei hadde off Fortune the maistry.
Here enchauntid with ther pociouns
Bi sum craft off newe sorcery.
Or bi power off incantaciouns,
To make stable ther domynaciouns
With iren cheynys for to laste longe^ -
Lokkid to rokkis off adamantis stronge.
137. rehersyng] reh^rsith H. 148. folk] folkej R 3.
149, etc. memoire, gloire, histoire B.
163. considred] considrith H.
156
160
shewing as in
a mirror how
Fortune is
topreme
over Princes,
who
164
168
[p. 3]
172
believe, in
their pride,
that they are
her masters.
Prologue
[bk. I
But Fortune
often casts
them down.
Some Princes
even set God
at nought.
but He
punishes
them:
some with
sickness, others
with adversity.
Bochas
believed that
it is right to
hold before
the vicious
notable
examples of
those who fell;
.-^'
Supposyng[e] in ther surquedie
Ther estatis sholde be durable;
But Fortune kan frowardli denye,
Pleynli preue that thai be chauwgable,
And to pryncis, for thel be nat stable,
Fortune ful ofFte, for al ther gret estat,
Vnwarll chauwgith & seith to hem ^chekmat
i^or lordis summe in ther magnificence
<^Off roial power sette off God riht nouht,
Thei nat considre his long pacience,
Nor aduertise his power in ther thouht,
But in ther hertis, yiff it were weel souht,
How he is meek and pacient to a-bide,
Thei wolde off resoun ther pompe leyn a-side.
But for ther tarieng and ther necligence,
That thei to hym wil nat resorte a-geyn,
Yit off his mercy and benyuolence,
Withoute vengance, rigour or disdeyn,
As a meek fadir, in alle his werkis pleyn,
Assaieth his yerde off castigaciouw,
So for to brynge hem to correccioun.
Suwme he can ful fadirli chastise,
Where he loueth, be punshyng off siknesse.
And off his mercy in many a-nother wise
Baduersite* off sum worldll distresse;
(And he nat asklth, for his kynd[e]nesse,
' Off hih nor low, who-so can aduerte,
-/Noon othir tresor but a manwys herte.
And as myn auctour list to comprehende, —
This lohn Bochas, bi gret auctorlte, —
■ It Is almesse to correct* and a-mende
The vicious folk off euery comouwte.
And bi exauwplis which that notable be
Off pryncis olde, that whilom dede fall.
The lowere peeple from ther errour call.
Bi smale whelpis, as suwme clerkis write.
Chastised is the myhti fers \eoun,
And whan the suerd off vengauwce eek doth bite
176
180
A'iu»v«-c lv,M«aj(^
192
196
204
208
184. rihtnoulit B, R. 186. auertise R.
198. ponysshyng H, punysshyng R 3, punishyng H J.
200. Baduersite] Bathuersite B, Bi adiiersite R.
201. his] om. R. 206. correct] correctyn B.
BK. l]
Prologue
I
224
228
Vpon prjTicis for ther transgressioun,
The comon peeple in ther opynyouw,
For verray dreed[e] tremble don* & quake, 216
And bl such mene ther vices thei forsake.
And such also as ha be defoulid
In ther vicis bi long contynuaunce,
Or in ther sjTinys rustid and ImowHd, 220
Bi good example may come to repentaurzce:
Who hym repentith, the Lord will hym auauTice,
And hym accepte, in hih and louh estat, —
The meek preserue, punyshe the obstynat.
This said[e] mater, touchyng such[e] thyngis,
Myn auctour Bochas heerafftir shal declare
Bexaumple off pryncis & off myhti kyngis,
\Miat was ther fyn, & nat the trouthe spare;
And theih my stile nakid be and bare,
In rethorik myn auctour for to sue,
Yit fro the trouthe shal I nat remue,
But on the substance bi good leiser abide, 232
AiFtir myn auctour lik as I may atteyne,
And for my part sette eloquence aside.
And in this book bewepen and compleyne
Thassaut off Fortune, froward and sodeyne, 236
How she on pr^'ncis hath kid her variaurzce
And off her malice the dedli mortal chaunce.
But, o alias! who shal be my muse,
Or onto whom shal I for helpe calle? 240
Calliope my callyng will refuse.
And on Pernaso here worthi sustren alle;
Thei will ther sugre tempre with no galle,
• For ther suetnesse & lusti fressh syngyng 244
Ful ferr discordith fro materis compleynyng.
My maistir Chaucer, with his fresh comedies.
Is ded, alias, cheefF poete off Breteyne,
That whilom made ful pitous tragedies; 248
The fall of pryncis he dede also compleyne, tKvio
As he that was of makyng souereyne,
Whom al this land sholde off riht preferre,
Sithe off oure language he was the lodesterre. 252
216. don]] doun B, R, a dour. J. 217. mene] menys H.
229. nakid] nake H.
251. sholde off rihtj of right oujt J.
for if Princes
are chastised,
so much the
more ought
the commons
to dread a
like fate.
Even hardened
sinners may be
brought to
repentance by
g>3d eiamole.
My style is
bare of
rhetoric,
but I will
deal faithfully
with my
author.
I have no
Muse: my
subject is too
doleful for
the Sisters of
Mt. Parnassus,
and Chaascii. .
alas, fs dead. {
the lodestar \
of our /'
language. '
/451-?
Other men,
too, wrote
tragedies:
Seneca, Tully,
and Francis
Petrarch, who
made a book
of Two
Fortunes.
John Bochas
told how
Princes fell
into distress.
All praise to
my master
Chaucer, who
refined our
language.
He wrote
Proilus,
and
translated
Boece.
Prologue []bk. I
Senek in Rome, thoruh his hih prudence, [p. 4]
Wrot tragedies of gret moralite;
And Tullius, cheefF welle off eloquence,
Maad in his tyme many fressh dite; 256
Franceis Petrak, off Florence the cite,
Made a book, as I can reherce,
Off too Fortunys, welful and peruerse.
And ageyn bothe wrot the remedies, 260
In bookis tweyne made a divisiouw,
A-mong rehersyng many fressh stories.
The firste book is thus conueied dou«,
A dialoge twen Gladnesse and Resoun; 264
The seconde can ber me weel witnesse,
Maad atwen Resoun & Worldli Heuynesse.
The mater is wondirful delectable,
Thouh wo with ioie haue an interesse; 268
And lohn Bochas wrot maters lamentable,
The fall of pryncis, where he doth expresse
How fro ther ioie thei fill in gret distresse;
And all these writers, thoruh ther famous renouw, 272
Gret worshipe dede vnto ther naciouw.
And semblabli as I ha[ue] told toforn.
My maistir Chaucer dede his besynesse.
And in his dales hath so weel hym born, 276
Out off our tunge tauoiden al reudnesse.
And to refourme it with colours of suetnesse;
Wherfore lat us yiue hym laude & glory
And putte his name with poetis in memory. 280
Off whos labour to make mencioun,
Wherthoruh off riht he sholde comendid be,
In youthe he made a translacioun
Off a book which callid is Trophe 284
In Lumbard tunge, as men may reede & see.
And in our vulgar, longe or that * he deide,
Gaff it the name off Troilus & Cresseide.
Which for to reede louers hem delite, 288
Thei ha[ue] theryn so gret deuocioun.
And this poete, hymsilff also to quite,
263. thus]] thus first H. 267. wondirful] riht wondir H.
268. an interesse] intresse R.
284. caliid is] is callid R. 286. that] than B, R.
BK. l]
Prologue
Off Boeces book, The Consolacioun,
Maad in his tyme an hool translacioun. 292
And to his sone, that callid was Lowis,
He made a tretis, ful noble & off gret pris,
Vpon thastlabre in ful notable fourme,
Sette hem in ordre with ther dyuysiouns, 296
Mennys wittis tapplien and confourme.
To vndirstonde be ful expert resouns
Be domefieng off sundry mansiouns,
The roote out-souht at the ascendent, 3cx5
Toforn or he gaff any iugement.
He wrot also ful many day agone,
Dante in Inglissh, hymsilff so doth expresse,
The pitous story off Ceix and Alcione, 304
And the deth eek of Blaunche the Duchesse,
And notabli dede his bisynesse,
Bi gret auys his wittis to dispose,
To translate the Romaunce off the Rose. 308
Thus in vertu he sette al his entent,
Idilnesse and vicis for to fle;
Off Foulis also he wrot the Parlement,
Theryn remembryng of roial Eglis thre, 312
How in ther chois thei felte aduersite,
Tofor Nature profred the bataile,
Ech for his parti, yiff it wolde auaile.
He dede also his dilligence & peyne 316
In our vulgar to translate and endite
Origen vpon the Maudeleyne,
And off the Leoun a book he dede write;
Off Anneleyda* and of fals Arcite 320
He made a compleynt, doolful & pitous,
And off the broche which that Vulcanus
At Thebes wrouhte, ful dyuers of nature,
Ouide writith, who theroff hadde a siht, 324
For hih desir he shulde nat endure
But he it hadde, neuer be glad nor liht;
And yiff he hadde it onys in his myht,
292. an]] & R. 294. The last two Utters of pris torn off H.
303. Dante] Dant H. 305. eek] also H.
312. remembryng] memebr\-ng R. 318. mawgdeleyne H.
320. Anneleyda] Anneloyda B, H 5, Anneleida R, H, P,
annelida J. 328. writ] wrott R.
He made a
treatise on
the Astrolabe
for his tea
Lewis,
translated
from Dante
and wrote
Celx and
Alcyone,
The Deth of
Blaunche,
The Romaunt
of the Rose,
The Parlement
of Foules,
Origen on
Mary
Magdalen,
The Book of
the Lion,
Anelida and
Fals Arc>te,
the story of
the brooch
that Vulcan
wrought,
lO
Prologue
[bk. I
The I.egende
of Good
Women,
p :y
The
Canterbury
Tales,
including
the stories of
Melibeus in
prose,
Griselda,
and The
Monk's Tale,
and many
complaints,
roundels,
ballades
and songs.
Poets used
to be the
favourites
of kings.
Lich as my maistir seith and writ in deede, 328
It to conserue he sholde ay lyue in dreede.
This poete wrot, at request off the queen,
A legende off parfit hoolynesse,
Off Goode Women to fynde out nynteen 332
That dede excelle in bouwte and fairnesse;
But* for his labour and [his] bisynesse
Was inportable his wittis to encoumbre,
In al this world to fynde so gret a nouwbre. 336
He made the book off Cantirburi Talis, [p. 5]
Whan the pilgrymis rood on pilgrymage
Thoruhout Kent bi hillis and bi valis,
And alle the stories told in ther passage, 340
Enditid hem ful weel in our language:
Sumwe off knyhthod, summe off gentilesse,
And summe off loue & sumwe off parfitnesse,
And suwme also off gret moralite, 344
Suwme off disport, includynge gret sentence.
In prose he wrot the Tale off Melibe,
And off his wiff, that callid was Prudence,
And off Grisildis* parfit pacience, 348
And how the Monk off stories newe & olde
Pitous tragedies be the weie tolde.
This said poete, my maistir in his daies,
Maad and compiled ful many a fressh dite, 352
Compleyntis, baladis, rouwdelis, virelaies
Ful delectable to heryn and to see.
For which men sholde, off riht and equite,
Sithe he off Inglissh in makyng was the beste, 356
Preie onto God to yiue his soule good teste.
And these poetis I make off menciouw.
Were bi old tyme had in gret deynte.
With kyngis, pryncis in euery regiouw, 360
Gretli preferrid afftir ther degre;
For lordis hadde plesance for to see.
To studie a-mong, and to caste ther lookis
At good[e] leiser vpon wise bookis. 364
334. But] And B. 342. 2nd summe] & summe R.
345. encludyng R. 348. Gresildes B.
352. a] oTtt. H. 357. good] owi. R.
BK. l]
Prologue
II
For in the tyme ofF Cesar lulius,
Whan the tryumphe he wan in Rome town,
He entre wolde the scoole off Tullius
And heere his lecture ofFgret aiFeccioun; 368
And natwithstandyng his conquest & renou;z,
Vnto bookis he gafF gret attendaunce
And hadde in stories ioie and gret pleasu7zce.
Eek in this land, I dar afFerme a thyng: 372
There is a prynce ful myhti ofF puissauwce,
A kyngis sone and vncle to the kyng
Henry the Sexte, which is now in Fraunce,
And is lieftenant, and hath the gouernaunce 376
OfF our Breteyne, thoruh whos discrecioun
He hath conserued in this regioun,
Duryng his tyme, ofF ful hih prudence.
Pes and quiete and sustened riht, 380
Yit natwithstandyng his noble prouidence,
He is in deede proued a good[e] knyht,
Eied as Argus with resoun and forsiht;
OfF hih lettrure, I dar eek ofF hym telle, 384
And treuli deeme that he doth excelle
In vndirstondyng alle othir off his age,
And hath gret ioie with clerkis to comune:
And no man is mor expert off language, 388
Stable in study alwey he doth contune,
Settyng a-side alle chaungis of Fortune;
And wher he loueth, yiff I shal nat tarie,
Withoute cause ful loth he is to varie. 392
Due off Gloucestre men this prynce calle,
And natwithstandyng his staat & dignite,
His corage neuer doth appalle
To studie in bookis off antiquite, 396
Therin he hath so gret felicite
Vertuously hymsilff to ocupie.
Off vicious slouthe to haue the maistrie.
And with his prudence and with his manheed, 400
Trouthe to susteene he fauour set a-side.
And hooli chirch[e] meyntenyng in deed.
Cxsar
himself
listened to
Tully^t
■ teaching.
In this
country
there is a
Prince, a
gcxxl kniiiht.
who excels
all in
understanding
and loves to
be with
scholars and
read their
books.
374. to] vn to H.
376. lefFtenaunt H.
369. renoun] gret Rcnourt H.
375. Henry] Herry H, Henri J
382. goode] riht good H.
384. lettrure] lectrure B, R, lettur R 3, lecture P
400. 2nd with] wit R.
He is the
Duke of
Gloucester,
a man who
upholds the
church and
tolerates no
Lollard,
12
Prologue
[bk. I
j/>''
\ \ »-'•
manly and
wise, he is a
foe to all
heretics.
He knew the
book of
Bochas,
and bade me
translate it
into English,
which I will
do, although
Hack
eloquence.
That in this land no Lollard dar abide —
As verray support, vpholdere and eek guide 404
Sparith noon, but maketh hymsiluen strong
To punysshe all tho that do the chirch[e] wrong.
Thus is he bothe manli and eek wis,
Chose off God to been his owyn knyht, 408
And off o thyng he hath a synguler pris,
That heretik dar noon come* in his siht,
In Cristis feith he stant so hool vpriht.
Off hooli chirche diffence and champioun, 412
To chastise alle that do therto tresouw.
And to do plesauwce to our lord I^ju,
He studieth euere to haue intelligence;
Reedyng off bookis bryngith in vertu, 416
Vices excludyng, slouthe and necligence,
Makith a prynce to haue experience,
To knowe hymsilff, in many sundri wise,
Wher he trespasith his errour to chastise. 420
And a-mong bookis, pleynli this the cas, [p. 6]
This said[e] prynce considred off resoun,
The noble book off this lohn Bochas
Was, accordyng in his opynyoun, 424
Off gret noblesse and reputaciouw.
And onto pryncis gretli necessarie
To yiue exauwple how this world doth varie.
And for this cause, as in his entent, 428
To shewe thuntrust off al worldli thyng.
He gaff to me in comaundement,
As hym sempte it was riht weel sittyng,
That I shulde, afftir my cuwnyng, 432
This book translate, hym to do plesaunce,
To shewe the chauwg off worldli variaunce.
And with support off his magnificence,
Vndir the wyngis off his correccioun, 436
Thouh that I haue lak off eloquence,
I shal procede in this translacioun.
Fro me auoidyng al presumpcioun,
Lowli submyttyng eueri hour & space 440
Mi reud language to my lordis grace.
409. o] oon H. 410. come] comcn B, R.
415. studieth] studieht R. 421. this] this is R, J.
428. this cause] |)ise causes J, these causes P.
BK. 0
The Story of Adam and Eve
13
And as I haue o thyng weel in mynde,
He bad me I sholde in especiall,
Folwyng myn auctour, writen as I fynde, 444
And for no fauour be nat parciall —
Thus I meene to speke in generall,
And noon estat syngulerly depraue,
But the sentence off myn auctour saue, 448
Al this conceyuyd, I gan my stile dresse,
Thouhte I wolde in my mater proceede;
And for the mater abraid on heuynesse,
Off fressh colours I took no maner heede, 452
But my processe pleynli for to leede,
As me sempte it was to me most meete
To sette apart all rethoriques sueete.
Dites of mumyng and off compleynynge 456
Nat appertene onto Calliope,
Nor to the Muses, that on Parnaso synge,
Which be remembrid in nouwbre thries thre;
And onto materes off aduersite, 460
With ther sugred aureat licour
Thei be nat willi for to doon fauour;
But off disdeyn me settyng ferr a-bak
To hyndre me* ofF that I wolde endite, 464
Hauyng no colours but onli whit & blak,
To the tragedies which that I shal write.
And for I can my-silff no bet acquite,
Vndir support off all that shal it reede, 468
Vpon Bochas riht thus I will proceede.
Explicit prologus.
I will follow
my author
and shew
no biai.
and. at my
matter is
serious, I
shall omit all
flourishes.
Calliope and
her Sisters
cannot help
me write of
adversity,
so I will do
my best in
simple black
and white.
Incipit Liber Primus.
[|How adam and Eue for theire inobedience were
putout of paradis lyued in sorowe and
woo/thei and theire of spryng.]^
Whan lohn Bochas considred hadde & souht [p.8]
The woful fall off myhti conquerours,
A remembraunce entrid in his thouht, 472
Reknyng the noumbre off our pr^decessours,
And first to mynde cam the progenitours
463. ferr] fast H. 464. me] men B, R.
1 MS. J. leaf 3 b.
Adam and
Eve first
appear before
Bochas,
14 The Story of Adam and Eve
%lTvtl^t Off al mankynde, ferre Ironne in age,
[bk.
old age.
And toward hym holdyng the passage,
As hym thouhte in his inward siht,
In ther comyng ful pitousli tremblyng,
Quakyng for age and for lak off myht,
Ther gret feeblesse be signes out shewyng;
And oon off hem, first at his comyng —
Our fadir Adam — sodenH abraide,
And to myn auctour euene thus he saide:
A^-^
476
480
Adam said,
"It is right
that you
should begin
with us.
"The Serpent
caused our
exile from
Paradise."
Fairest of
all creatures
were they;
God gave
them the
Garden of
Eden,
[How Adam & Eue stondyng/naked before Bochas
desired him to put theire woful fall first in
remembraunce.] ^
"Cosyn Bochas, I will weel that thou lere, 484
Thou that art besi to serche ouer all
Off infortune the maner to enquere,
Hir sodeyn chaung, turnyng as a ball,
Off erthli pryncis from ther estat roiall — 488
It is most sittyng, or we assundir twynne,
At vs tweyne thi processe to be-gynne.
Considre first, the Lord in his auis,
Whan he us made onto his liknesse, 492
He putte vs bothe into Paradis,
There talyued in parfit stabilnesse —
Til the Serpent dede his besynesse
Off^fals envie to make us lese our grace, 496
Perpetueir texile us fro that place."
And whan lohn Bochas nakid hem beheeld,
Withoute the hand fourmyd off Nature, —
Off slym off therthe in Damascene the feeld 500
God made hem fairest a-boue ech creature;
And for thei sholde perpetueli endure,
Bi discrecioun for a prerogatiff
He endued hem with a soule off liff. 504
Parfit off age as man off thretti yeerp^
Putte hem afftir in possessioun
Off Paradis, a place most enteer,
485] That art so besi to serche oueral J — serchel serch out
H, P, R 3.
486. maner^ mateer H — Inquere H. 504. HeJ om. H.
^ MS. J. leaf 3 c. in margin.
BK. l]
The Slory of Adara and Eve
IS
'j^\ V 0\
And ofFdelicis a chose mansioun, 508
Where Adam made an imposicioun
To fissh and foul, and to thes beestis all,
OflF verray resoun what men sholde hem call.
Out off a rib, whil that Adam sleep, 512
Eue was drawe, ful fair off hir visage,
Al sodenly or that* he took keep,
, AiFtir to hym ioynyd in mariage
\Por his disport and his auantage, 516
So as the Lord first wyues dede ordeyne
Outher for helpe or for encres off peyne.
God onto hem gafF the souereynte
Off Paradis and dominacioun,
A place fulfellid off al felicite.
The frutis all in ther subieccioun,
SaufF that off oon was maad excepcioun,
Which God forbad, the Bible can deuise, 524
That thei sholde touche it in no wise.
All delices off that heuenli place
God gaff to hem and put in her kepyng,
To vsen hem eueri hour and space 528
To ther most ese, as was to hem likyng —
Bloomys, blosmys, ther faimesse ay hauyng,
And the frutis alway off o fresshnesse,
•For wyntir stormys myht do hem no duresse. 532
The soil enbroudid ful off somer flour<fs,
Wher weedis wikke hadde noon interesse;
For God and Kynde with fresshnesse off colour^fs
And with ther tapitis & motles off gladnesse 536
Had maad that place habounde in al suetnesse;
And fressh[e] Flora, which is off floures queene,
Hir lyuere made off a perpetuel greene.
The trees rauhten almost to the heuene, 540
Which cast a-boute a ful plesant shade.
That storm nor reyn, thundir, wynd nor leuene
No power hadde ther leuys for to fade:
and for
Adam's
advantage
Eve was
created, and
became
his wife.
All fruits in
that beautiful
were theirs
save one.
and all the
delights of
that heavenly
place were
given into
their keeping.
The soil was
embroidered
with flowers,
and the trees
grew up
almost to
the sky.
508. delicisj] delites H, delitis J, delitti?.)- R 3, delites H 5, P.
509. an] om. R. 514. that] than B, H.
516. and] and for H.
521. fulfillid H, fulfild J.
526. delices] delites H, H 5, delitt<rj R 3, delicis J, delices P.
538. which] whilk H. 541. abouten R, H.
i6
But they
foolishly ate
the fruit of
the Tree of
Life.
against God'i
command-
and brought
evil into the
world.
There were
three rivers
in Paradise,
The Story of Adam and Eve [bk. i
For euer thei wern Illch[e] fressh and glade; 544
And whan thei list, ther thei myhte see
Mid off that gardyn off lifF the holsum tre,
Which vertu hadde ageyn al maladie
Folk to preserue off youthe in ther fresshnesse^ 548
Who eet therofF sholde neuer deie,
But lyuen euere in ioie and in gladnesse,
And nouther feele trouble nor siknesse,
But in that place haue alwey hertis ese 552
And suffisauwce off al that myht hym plese,
Euer endure and neuer falle in age, [p. 9]
For which it was callid the tre off liff.
But whan Adam was fallyn in dotage 556
And ageyn[es] God gan holdyn striflF,
Thoruh excityng off hir that was his wifF,
'::" And wilfuUi gaff to hir assent
^ . To breke the precept & comandement 560
^ Off God the Lord, thoruh wilful necligence,
■ Taproche the tre, which that bar the name,
The tre off cunnyng and also off science:
For off the frut who that dede attame, 564
He sothli sholde, the Bible seith the same,
/ Off good & euell haue cuwnyng in his thouht,
\_Where-as tofforn off euyl he knew riht nouht.
Thus hadde thei first off euyl experience, 568
Where-as toforn thei knew no wikkidnesse;
Presumpciouw and inobedience
Brouht hem fro ioie into wrechidnesse:
For afor-tyme, myn auctour berth witnesse, 572
Helthe and goodnesse wer callid verray liff,
Euyl namyd siknesse, first roote of al our striff.
In Paradis, myn auctour seith certeyn,
Thre ryuers wern, so orient and fyne, 576
Lich quyksiluyr vpboilyng on the pleyn.
And in ther rennyng verray cristallyne,
Which from a welle heuenli and deuyne
550. 2nd in] om. H. 553. hym] hem R.
557. ageynes God gan holdyn] ageyn God began to holden J,
ayenst God gan to holden P.
558. excityng] encityng R. 559. gaflF] he yaue P.
562. bar] here R. 574. Euyl] 111 R 3 — namyd] namy R.
BK. l]
The Story of Adam and Eve
17
wholesome
air, all manner
of herbs and
spices, and
the sound
of birds
tinging.
The sun shone
brighter then
than it does
now,
In ther vpspryngyng and ther aualyng doun 580
Off al plesance gafF so soote a soun,*
That it wolde rauysshe a corage, —
Whos bawmy licour endued al the place,
And with the fresshnesse & cours off his passage 584
The holsum hair hertis dede embrace, —
Ther was such plente off plesance & off grace.
That eueri spice, herbe, greyn and roote
Wer founde growyng in that gardeyn soote. 588
Ther was also a delectable soun
Off song off birdis in ther armonye^
The hair was cleene from arcofupcioun,
For ther engendrid was no maladie; 593
Ther was al merthe, ther was al melodie,
OfFioie and blisse ^ouereyn suflSsance, i, f^-- >,tf, ■'''' *^^^'"
With al that may toTiertis do plesance.
And off clerkis lik as it is told 596
In ther bookis, as thei determyne,
How in his speer the sonne manyfold
Was off mor vertu & mor cleer dede shyne
Than it doth now in his mydday lyne, 600
The moone whittere with hir* bemys cleer,
And euery sterre brihtere dede appeer.
Euery thyng was there more vertuous
Than thei be now, who can beholde and see; 604
For in that place ther was nothyng noious.
But parfit gladnesse knet onto surete,
Perpetuel pes, ioie and prosperite,
And in that blisse to makyn hem mor strong, 608
To ther confort God spak with hem a-mong.
CMF his goodnesse he bar hem cumpanye,
Shewed onto hem his gracious presence,
Angelis also ther staat to magnefie 612
A-mong to serue hem dede ther dilligence
In dyuers offices with humble reuerence,
And Nature wrouhte for the nonys
Off roial purpill and off riche stonys 616
Tissues off gold and othir omamentis
For tenvirowne ther bodili beute,
581. so soote a soun] a soote soun B, R. 585. enbrace H.
601, hir] his B, R, R 3. 603. vertous R.
617. omamentis] precious stonys R (m another band).
and there was
perpetual
peace and jof .
God often
appeared to
Adam and
Eve, and
angels served
them.
i8
The Story of Adam and Eve
[bk. I
They could
have lived
there always
in celestial
joy,
had not Adam
given credence
to a Snake.
Their fall
was the more
bitter,
for It followed
felicity.
Take example
of Adam
and Eve,
Shapyng to hem such maner garnementis
As angeHs vsen in ther felicite — 620
Nakid thei wer[e]n fairest on to see;
For whil thei stood in staat off innocence,
Thei hadde off clothyng noon experience.
And off ther bHsse to make menciou«, 624
And off ther ioies that were celestiall,
Ther may be maad[e] no comparisoun
Off no ioie which is temporall,
Which sholde ha been lastynge & inmortall, 628
Euer talyued in merthe and in gladnesse,
SaufF ageyn resoun, off verray wilfulnesse
Thei banshid hemsilff out of that bhsful HfF,
Whan Adam gafF credence to a snake 632
And wrechidH gan trustyn on his wifF, V -^>A « < ■
Which gan thappill off the Serpent take,
And plesantli dede a present make
Onto Adam, as she that ferst began 636
Deth to deuyse and poisoun onto man.
But as ther ioie was incomparable, [p. 10]
Grettest ther lordship aboue al ertheli thyng.
So ther fall was to he[m] importable; 640
For he that was all other surmountyng,
In Paradis regnyng as a kyng —
Was it nat a dedli mortal peyne
Fro thilke place to haue* a fall sodeyne! 644
For thilke sorwe surmountith euery sorwe.
Which next folwith afFtir felicite;
No wo mor greuous at eue nor at morwe.
As is in deede sodeyn aduersite 648
Which cometh onwarli afftir prosperite,
Nor nothyng more may hertis disauaunce
Than ofF old ioie newe remembraunce.
Takith exaumpil ofF Adam and off Eue, 652
Makith off hem a merour in your mynde,
Wher of resoun it dede hem gretii greue
For to be put, alias, so ferre behynde
619. maner] om. R.
621. weren] wern H 5, P, were J, R 3.
628. immortall R. 629. 2nd in] om. H, J, H 5.
631. banshid] banyssht H, banysshid J. 633. on] to R.
644. thilke] that Hs — tohaue]taue B,
BK. 0
The Story of Adam and Eve
19
Out ofF that blisse, thei and al ther kynde,
Chaungyng thestat off inmortalite
And becam subiect to deth and pouerte.
Ther sodeyn chaung & ther onwar myscheefF
And ther onhappi transmutacioun, —
It was to hem ful vnkouth and vnleeff
For to departe fro thilke mansioun
That was so full off delectacioun,
Fro such delicis sodenli to goo
Into this world which is so full off woo.
There is delit, and heer is sorwe [&] care,
There is ioie, and heer is heuynesse,
There is plente, and heer is euel fare,
There is helthe, and heer is gret siknesse,
Heer trouble ay meynt with onseur gladnesse,
Ther is ay blisse and eternal glorie,*
And heere no merthe but fals & transitorie.
Alias, how thei wer blyndid in ther siht
Thoruh veynglorie* and fals ambicioun!
Thei wente wrong, thei lokid nat a-riht,
Fals couetise was ther confusioun,
Wherthoruh thei loste the dominacioun
Off Paradis, and wex bothe poore & thrall,
Ther fredam leffte and becam mortall.
Onto God thei wolde ha be semblable,
Lik onto hym good and euel to* knowe,
Arid in ther trust for thei wer nat stable,
From ther estat thei were brouht ful lower
And thus, alias, the seed was first isowe,
The roote plantid off disobeissaunce,
Which brouht our lynage to sorwe & myschauwce
Thus cam in first thoruh inobedience.
As bi a gate, pouerte and neede;
And at ther bak folwed indigence,
Sorwe, siknesse, maladie and dreede,
Exil, banshyng and seruitute, in deede,
Which causid man longe to contune
Vndir the lordshipe & daunger off Fortune.
c./L who became
°50 subject to
poverty and
death.
660
664
668
It was hard
for thera to
leave the
Garden of
Eden and its
delights.
672
676
680
684
688
693
They were
blinded by
vainglory
and brought
low.
Thus, through
disobedience,
all evils came
into the world,
sorrow,
sickness,
fear, pestilence,
death.
6^7. immortalite R. 664. delites H, R 3.
668. euelfare B. 669. gret] om. H. 670. Heer] Heere is R.
671, 2. gloire, transitoire B, transitoyre H. 674. veyngloire B.
681. to] ta B. 683. brouht] I brouht H.
20
and the
infirmities
of old age.
Adam had
to toil for
his living
in the dread
of cruel beasts,
dragons and
scorpions.
He and Eve
shed bitter
tears.
Afterwards
Cain slew
Abel,
The Story of Adam and Eve [[bk. i
Thus cam in eek maladie and deth
To dispoile mankynde off his beute,
Long siknesse and pestilence that sleth 696
Bi sodeyn strok which no man may fle; *
For onto Adam and his posterite
Deth was annexid bi successioun
For his offence, and so conueied doun 700
Fro man to man in eueri maner age.
For who list knowe, synwe brouht in shame,
Man to be feeble and feynt in his passage,
And be processe to wexen halt and lame — 704
Onto Adam this was an vnkouth game.
To be constreynyd from riche apparaile
In bareyn erthe to sekyn his vitaile.
In hungir [and] thrust heere he ladde his liff, 708
With soot, with labour and tribulaciouns.
Endured also many mortal striff,
Off hot and cold riht strauwge passiouns,
Off elementis sodeyn mutaciouws, 712
Wynd, hail and reyn feerfulli fallyng,
And onwar strokis off thundir & lihtnyng.
Thei stood also in daunger and in dreed
Off cruel beestis, tigres and leouws, 716
Off tusshi booris, who-so taketh heed,
And in gret feer off these fell dragouns,
^Thassaut off serpentis and off scorpiouns;
_ For thilke beestis that toforn were mylde, 720
) Afftir ther synnyng ful rage wex and wilde.
Wher thei stood[e] first in sekirnesse, [p. 11]
Off ioie and blisse euer in oon lastyng,
Out off ther reste thei fill in onseurnesse, 724
In sorwe and sihhyng, & dolorous pleynyng;
And fro ther eyen contynueli wepyng.
The bittir teris day be day distille.
In this desert for wantyng off ther wille. 728
And whethir wer thei sorweful or* fayn,
Long tyme afftir ther desolacioun,
Whan thei fond Abel ther owyn sone slayn
697. which] which that H 5 — fle] see B, R.
699. annexid] anvexed R. 708. and] om. H.
709. soot] seot R, swete H, swett R 3, swet P — 2nd with]
and J, H 5. 713. feerfulH] feerdfuUi J.
725. dolorous] dolours R. 729. or] outher B.
BK. i]
The Story of Adam and Eve
21
Be cruel Caym to his confusioun,
The same Caym, as maad is mencioun,
Afftir that tyme wilde and vacabounde
Til blynde Lamech gafF hym his dethis wounde.
Adam nor Eue affor that ilke tyme
Hadde neuer seyn no feste funerall,
Off chaung it was* to hem a newe pryme,
For to beholde a thyng disnaturall,
Brethre off o wombe be hatred fraternall,
The toon off herte* so feer hymselff deuyde,
Off fals malis to been an homicide.
And was it nat a peyne whan thei stood,
For to beholde ther sone pale and ded
Ligge on the ground[e], bathid in his blood,
And al the soil where he lay was red.
That whan Adam and Eue tooken heed,
It was to hem ful gret aduersite
The newe slauhtre to beholde and see.
And euer a-mong ther sihhes harde and sore,
Ther bittir wepyng and sorwes to auaunce.
Or thei wer war, ther heris wexyn hore.
And age gan ther beute disauaunce;
Ther youthe also be ful gret displesaunce
Gan tappalle, or thei it coude espie,
Be cruel constreynt and force of maladie.
And whan off youthe fallyn was the flour
Bi the processe of many hundrid yeris,
And bi the duresse off many gret labour
Thei wex onlusti and ougli off ther cheris —
Off age and deth, these be the daungeris,
To seyn chekmat, in nature it is kouth,
OntoTteute and greene lusty youth.
For whan the yeris fulli passid be
Off flouryng age, lastyng a sesoun.
Be processe, at eie men may see,
Beute declynyth, his blosmys falle doun;
And lite and litil be successioun
732
7?6 ^'^^'^^ 8»^'«
'J occasion for
the first
funeral.
740
744
.A'
^A*fVk^
748
752
hvjL> k>
kc^- tiC'-M
Their beauty
faded.
7S6
they became
dull and
nncomdy
with yeari.
760
764
768
732. Caym R, H, J, R 3, Cayrae H 5, Ca>-n P.
735. Latneth, as written in B, R, H.
738. Off chaung it wasj It was off chaung B — it was to hem]
to hem it was R 3.
741. herte] hate B, R.
752. thei] the R. 759. labour] labours R.
22
Thus Adam,
once the
fairest of
men, grew
old and died.
He was
buried in
Hebron.
His dis-
obedience
made all
men subject
to death.
The Story of Adam and Eve
Cometh croked elde onwarli in crepyng,
With his potent ful poorli manasyng.
Thus to our fadir, that callid was Adam,
Off creatures fairest off alle faire,
Afftir gret age, bi processe .deth. in cam.
And gan onwarli ascende vpon the staire
With his potent, and caste hym to repaire
With Antropos, which affor shal goon
For tuntwyne his lyuys threed anoon.
And in Ebron was maad his sepulture,
Ther afftir bilt a myhti gret cite,
Bi whos story and record off nature
I may conclude, who-so list to see.
That neuer man hadde liberte,
Sithen that Adam our Lord gan disobeye,
Ageyn[e]s deth, but that he muste deye.
Hbk. I
< '*. ^I'-i
772
776
780
784
Bochas
laments the
fate of Adam,
whose
example
teaches us
the sorrow
of the world.
For all their
pride, men
must die.
The compleynt off Bochas vpon the fall off Adam.
IN compleynyng, myn auctowr lohn Bochas
Ful pitousli in his aduertence
Bewepith, wailith, & offte seith alias,
In an appel ther was so gret offence, 788
That for a tast off inobedience,
Adam, alias, sholde ha[ue] so gret a fall,
So sodenli to deie and be mortall!
Which exauwpil ouhte I-nouh suffise, 792
In al this world[e] thouh there were no mo,
Texemplefie to folkis that be wise.
How this world is a thoruhfare ful off woo,
Lich fals Fortune, which turnyth to and fro 796
To make folkis, whan thei most cleerli shyne.
In ther estatis onwarli to declyne.
For thouh that thei her hedis leffte a-loffte
Hih as Phebus shynyth in his speer,
Thynke them-silff[e], as it fallith offte,
Ther renoun rechith aboue the sterris cleer,
And how ther fame surmountith euery speer
[p.
12]
800
775. and] om. H.
797. cleerli] clery R. 799.
801. Thynke] tenke R.
lifFt H. 800. Hih] lich R.
BK. l]
The Story of Adam and Eve
Ther trust corrupt hath a ful sodeyn fall, 804
For to declare how thei be mortall.
O worldii folk, aduertlsith off entent.
What vengaunce and what punycioun
God shal taken in his iugement , 808
For your trespas and your transgressioun.
Which breke his preceptis a-geyn al resoun!
Ye han forgoten, how with his precious blood
You for to saue he starff vpon the rood. 812
For yiff Adam for his disobeissaunce
Was bi the Lord, as hym list ordeyne,
Maad first & formyd with euery circumstaunce
Off creatures to be most souereyne, 816
Yiff that he was enbraced in the cheyne
Off seruitute, with thraldam ouerseyn,
What shal I thanne off othir folkis seyn.
That lyuyn heer in this desert off sorwe, 820
In this exil off plesance desolat,
And in this world[e], both at eue &* morwe.
Off hertili ioie stonde disconsolat,
Al destitut and eek infortunat, 824
And forpossid with wo off worldii trouble.
Ay variable and ful off chauTzgis double?
Ye nat entende but to fals couetise.
To fraude, baret and extorsioun, 828
Geyn God and trouthe in many dyuers wise,
Geyn your neihbour be fals collusioun
To doon [himj wrong and oppressioun.
And werst off all, ye rechch[e] nat be synne 832
To sle your soule, worldii good to wynne.
And yiff it falle your power be but small
Taccomplisshe your auarice in deede,
Your synful will assentith ouerall 836
Thyng to desire off which ye* may nat speede;
And thus fals lust doth your bridil leede,
Thrust off hauyng so sore you doth assaile,
Falsli afferd the world you sholde faile. 840
?3
O woridly
people, know
that God will
punish yon
as he did
Adam, most
sovereign
of men!
You draw
only to
covet ousness
and fraud,
you opprest
your fdlow
men and
slay your
own souls
for gain. If
too weak to
sin in deed,
you sin in
thought.
822. &] & at B, R, H, J, R 3.
826. ful] om. R.
831. him] om. R, H. 832. ye] the R. 834. falle] hap R3.
837. ye] thei B, om. R. 839. Thurst R, H.
840. Falsli] Fals R.
H
The Story of Adam and Eve
[bk. I
If God
chastises you
lightly, you
complain.
God do€s not
bid us prove
our might
on the
Cbimxra,
or conquer
the Golden
Fleece, or
slay the
Minotaur or
do anything
that is
impossible.
He does not
tell us to risk
our lives in
adventure as
did Hercules.
And ylfF that God, benigne and debonaire,
With his yerde off castigacioun
Chastise you but esili and faire,
Ye grucch ageyn[es] his correccioun, S44
Nothyng aduertyng in your discrecioun,
How God nat bad us, who can taken heed,
Nat for to stryue nor to wrastle in deed,
Nouther our strengthe nor our myht tapplie 848
Vpon the beeste monstruous and sauage,
Which callid is the Chymere off Licie —
SpeciaH whan he is in his rage.
Which monstre hadde to his auauntage 85a
Hed off a leoun, as bookis determyne,
Wombe off goot, and tail serpentyne,
Which was outraied off Bellofforon,
As olde poetis make mencioun. 856
Nor God bad nat that men sholde gon
Into Colchos to conquere with lason
The Flees off Gold, which in that regioun
With firi bolis off metal maad and bras, 860
And bi a dragoun ful streihtli kepid was.
God bad us nat our cuntrees for to lete
To vndirfonge thynges inpossible,
The Minotaur for to slen in Crete, 864
HalfF man, halfF bole, yifF it be credible,
Which was a monstre hatful and odible.
Whilom brouht foorth, in bookis ye may see,
Bi Minos wiff, callid Pasiphe, 868
Whos story techith, yifF ye list to lere.
This ougli beeste cruel and monstruous,
Thoruh Adriane, the kyngis doubter deere,
Was whilom slay[e]n be due Theseus 872
Withynne a caue maad be Dedalus.
God bit us nat, pleynli, for his sake.
So gret emprises for to vndirtake.
He bit us nat to been so rek[e]les 876
In pereilous deedis that been marciali
Vs to iuparte as dede Hercules,
847. to wrastle] for to wrastile R, for to wrastle H, for to
wrastill R 3.
850. callid] clepid H. 855. Bellofforon] belliferoun J.
862. bad] gaff R. 869. lere] heer H. 872. be] the R.
BK. I^
The Story of Adam and Eve
XS
Which bi the biddyng in especiall
Off Euristeus, the myhti kyng roiall, 880
Lord off Athenys, to make his honour shjme,
Lemyd off armys the famous disciplyne.
Off his preceptis yiff we han a siht [p. 13]
And remembre off his hih bounte, 884
He vs comaundith thyngis that been hht
For taccomplisshe with al humilite.
From our corage tauoide al vanite.
And from our hertis texcludyn idilnesse 888
And the fals chaung off al worldli gladnesse.
For on-taman that parfit is and stable,
Bi good resoun myn auctour doth well preue.
There is no thyng mor fair nor agreable 892
Than fynali his vicious liff to leue.
On verray God rihtfully beleue,
Hym loue and worshepe a-boue al ertheli thinges;
This passith victory off erap<frours and kynges. 896
The Lord bit eek, who* that can disceme.
Off enteer loue to doon our labour
In this liff heer so oursilff * goueme.
To fadir & moodir that we do dieu honour.
And in ther neede to doon to hem socour,
And in al vertu our frendis to conforte.
And to our power in myscheeff hem supporte.
For in this world is no thyng mor parfit, 904
Nor taccomplisshe thyng off mor plesance.
Than a man for to haue delit
In litil good to hauen suffisance.
And be content in his gouemance, 908
Voide auarice and thynkyn euer a-mong.
To his neihbour that he do no wrong.
Nat to coueite his goodis in no wise,
Hymsilff goueme lik to his estat, 912
Nat excede, but fleen and eek despise
He aaki ii«
only to ezdude
vanity and
idleneai from
our hearts.
'Sathiag
pleases a good
man more
than to do
right and
lore God.
900
\ man ihould
be content
with little
wealth, do ao
wrong to hia
neighbour.
880. Euristius R.
890. on-taman] vnto a man H, J, R 3, P, H 5.
895. ertheii] om. R.
897. bit] biddith R 3, H 5 — who] we B, R.
899. oursilff] our liff B, R. 902. comforte H.
907. hauen] haue H, R, R 3.
913. excede] to excede J, H 5 — an 1 precedes eke in H {slip
of pen).
26
and live in
continence
and peace.
He should
avoid scorn
and follow the
example of
Our Lord,
who asked
nothing more
than that we
do as he
bade us.
Let us be
better than
beasts, and
remember
that all
worldly
wealth shall
fade as a
rose,
and that
pride and
disobedience
were the
beginning
of sorrow.
The Story of Adam and Eve [^bk. I
Al maner loue which is disordynat,
HymsilfF preseruyng from contek & debat,
And speciali teschewen, it is good, 916
Slauhtre, moordre & shedyng eek off blood.
Fleen from his synne and hatyn for to lie,
OfFolde offends a-mong ha[ue] repentance,
And teschewe al scorn and moquerie, 920
Ageyn vicis doon almesse and penance,
And to haue most souere[y]nli plesance
To sue the pathes* of our Lord lesw,
Trewe exaumplaire off grace and al vertu. 924
Which for our sake and our redempcioun
And for our loue was nailid to a tre,
Suffrid peyne and cruel passiouw.
And nothyng axeth, off hih nor low degre 928
Recompensid ageynward for to be.
But that we sette al hooli our ententis
For to fulfiUe his comaundementis.
And off his grace heer in this mortal liff, 93a
As we precelle in wisdom and resouw,
And off his giffte han a prerogatiff
Toforn all beestis bi discrecioun,
Therfore lat us off hool entenciouw, 936
As we off resouw beestis ferr exceede,
Lat us forn* hem be, be woord, exaumple and deede.
Grouwde us first vpon humilite,
Our pompous eien meekli to vnclose, 940
Enclyne our hedis, and to conceyue and see
Al worldli welthe shal fadyn as a rose.
And off meek herte lat us oursilff dispose,
Bi this tragedie to ha[ue] knowlechyng 944
Off our myscheeff how roote and eek gynnyng
Was the vice off inobedience,
Surquedie and fals disobeissaunce,
As myn auctour hath shewid in sentence, 948
Enprentith it weel in your remembraunce,
Be-war* the serpent with his disseyuaunce,
920. mokrye H. 923. pathes] paththes B, R, pathis H.
932. his]om. R. 933. injofj — and]ofJ.
934. hanl and R. 936. hool] hoolde R.
938. fornj aforn MSS. — ist bej om. J — 2nd be] in H 5 —
by example word & dede R 3.
944. to haue] ta H. 950. Be-war] Beth war B, J.
BK. Q
Adam and EvCf the Envoy
27
The flessh, the world, your enmies, alle thre,
Thoruh ther treynys ye nat deceyued be.
Your beste sheeld to make resistance
Ageyn ther power sothli is meeknesse.
Your haberioun most myhti off difFence,
The feendis myht to venquysshe and oppresse,
Is to remembre deuoutH with lownesse,
How meekli Crist to paien our ransoun
Suffred on a crosse deth and passioun.
Wherbi men may, that prudent been & wis.
The ioies cleyme which been etemall,
And entre ageyn into Paradis,
Fro when[ne]s whilom Adam hadde a fall;
To which[e] place a-boue celestiall,
O Crist I^ju, so brynge us to that glory,
Which be thi deth hadde the victory!
952
956
Meekness i
your best
shield of
defence.
y- May Jesus
900 bring us
again into
Paradise!
964
[p. 14]
968
^ The lenvoye off this tragedie.
SODEYN departing out off felicite
Into miserie and mortal heuynesse,
Vnwar depryuyng of our prosperite,
Chaung off gladnesse into wrechchidnesse.
Long langwisshyng in wo and bittirnesse,
Contynuel sorwe, dreed, dool and pestilence
Were first brouht in bi inobedience.
Adam and Eue losten ther liberte,
Ther frau^chise and ther blissidnesse,
Put into exil and captyuyte
To lyue in labour, in wo and pensifnesse,
Thoruh fals desirs off pompous wilfulnesse,
To the Serpent whan thei gaff credence.
The Lord mistristyng thoruh inobedience.
But, o alias, where-as thei were fre.
Off ioie eternal stood in sekirnesse,
Thei were to blynde — alias, it was pite! —
To leue ther teste and lyue in werynesse,
AI ther ofFspryng to bryngyn in distresse,
Drawyng fro God his due reuerence
Thoruh fals consentyng to inobedience.
9S9. a] om. ], H 5.
962. entre ageyn] ageyn entre H, R, R 3. 966. the] om. H.
972. pestilence] offence H. 980. mystrustyng H.
972
976
980
984
Disobedience
turned all
joy into woe.
Thus Adam
and Eve fell,
and brought
their
offspring
into distress.
28
The Story of Nimrod
[bk. I
Princes,
beware of
insolence
and pride,
remember
that your
subjects will
deal with
you as you
deal with
them.
Wherfore, ye Pryncis, auisili doth see, 988
As this tragedie in maner berth witnesse,
Where-as wantith in any comounte
Subieccioun, for lakkyng off meeknesse,
And with pouert pride hath an interesse, 992
Ther folwith afFtir thoruh froward insolence
Among the peeple fals inobedience.
And, noble Pryncis, which han the souereynte
To gouerne the peeple in rihtwisnesse, 996
Lik as ye cherisshe hem in pes and vnyte.
Or frowardli destroie hem or oppresse,
So ageynward ther corages thei will dresse
Lowli tobeie to your magnyficence, 1000
Or disobeie bi inobedience.
Only eight
people were
saved from
the Deluge,
therefore my
author passes
over to
Nimrod.
During the
Flood all
books were
destroyed.
[How Nembroth bilt the toure of babilone to saue
him from noyous flodis which for his pride was
put fro his magnificence and his toure witTi
sodeyne levene smyten doun.]] ^
MYN auctowr Bochas, as he that vndirstood
The vengauwces & myscheuis huge
Which that God took with Noes Flood, 1004
Whan he sente an vniuersel deluge,
Ageyn[e]s which there was no refuge,
Sauf eihte personis in that mortal wo
Withynne a ship were sauyd and no mo. 1008
Wherfore myn auctour lihtli ouergoth,
Makith off that age no special remembraunce.
But passeth ouer from Adam to Nembroth,
Consid[e]ryng how in that dedli chaunce 1012
The Lord for synne took so gret vQngauwce,
That be writyng off cronique nor historie,*
Off hih nor low was lefft[e] no memorie.
For ther was lefft cronicle noon nor book 1016
Afftir the Flood, that made mencioun
Off noon auctour, who-so list to look;
991. lakkyng] lak H. 994, 6. poeple R. 1007. eihte] viij B.
1014. cronique nor historie] story nor victoire B, H, R 3,
P, stories nor victorie J; story nor victoire is altered to
croniqtt^ nor histoire in R. 1015. memoire B.
1 MS J. leaf 6 recto.
BK.
I]
The Story of Nimrod
29
1024
1028
1032
1036
For al was brouht to destruccioun
Bi a deluge, withoute excepcioun, 1020
For which myn zuctour transportid hath his stile,
And off that tyme list nothyng compile.
He fond no mater wheron he myht founde
Nor sette his foot, bi noon auctorite,
Nor no trouthe his purpos on to grounde
OfF old[e] writyng that he coude see;
For which hym thouhte, off necessite
The surplusage off al that tyme lete.
And afftir Adam with Nembroth for to meete.
And certis, lich as Bochas in this book
Remembrith first off Adam the storye.
So next in ordre he the story took
To speke off Nembroth and his surquedie.
Which heere in erthe, as bookis specefie,
Afftir the Flood his wawes gan asswage.
Was maad a lord to goueme in that age.
For whan the floodis begonne* to discrese.
And God his vengaunce gan to modefie,
Withdrouh his hand, the watir tho gan cese,
Vpon the mounteyns hie off Armenye
The shipp gan reste, the Bible can nat lye;
And in that age, callid the secounde,
Lynage off man be-gan a-geyn tabounde.
Tencrese ageyn and to multeplie,
And bi discent, in bookis ye may see
Specefied the genealogie.
How that oon Chiris, cosyn to Noe,
A man that tyme off gret auctorite.
Onto this Nembroth, the story doth assure.
The fadir was, as bi engendrure.
This Nembroth wex myhti, large and long,
Excellyng othre as off his stature,
Surquedous, hardi and riht strong,
And in his tyme gret labour myht endure,
And in his force so moche he dede assure.
so my author
found no
material until
he came to
Nimrod,
a proud king.
After the
Flood
1040
1044
1048
men began
to increase
again.
Fn TCl Nimrod "as
IF' * jJ mighty and
10-2 ^'^'
1024. foot] feot R.
1026. altered into: Of Olde writyng eke coude he nothing se, R.
1035. his] is R.
1037. begonne] began B, R, H. 1055. he] om. R.
30
called Prince
of Hunting,
feared by
man and
beast.
He began
to conspire
against God,
and thought
he would
secure him-
self against
anotl}er
Deluge
The Story of Nimrod []bk. i
That ther was noon on watir nor on lond 1056
Which durste presume his power to withstond.
And his noblesse mor to magnefie
In worldli worshepe, hi report off his glorie,*
He was caUid cheefF prynce off venerie, 1060
Desirous euer for to han victorie
Off beestis wilde, to be put in memorie
And haue a pris amongis these champiouws,
Tigres to dauwte, bores and leouws. 1064
Ther was no beeste in wodes so sauage
That durste ageyn hym make resistence;
His furious ire so mortal was and rage,
The erthe quook for feer off his presence, 1068
Til atte laste in his aduertence.
As a prynce deuoidid ofF al grace,
Ageyn[e]s God he gan for to compace.
He made a maner coniuraciouw, 1072
This froward geant, and a conspiracie.
Took his counseil bi fals coUusiouw,
His myht, his power for to magnefye,*
And his estat for to glorefie, 1076
Thouhte he wolde off his entent nat faile
God and the heuene proudli to assaile.
That maugre God, which [that] gouernyth all.
He thouhte he wolde proudli take on honde, 1080
Ageyn deluges, yifF any falle shall,
OfF prouidence pleynli hem withstonde,
HymsillF tassure & make a place on londe
That sholde hym keepe & been to hym difFenge 1084
Bothe a-geyn God and watris violence.
And that thei myhte acomplisshe ther entent
Lich ther desir, thei dedyn ther labour,
Took ther couwseil al be oon assent, 1088
Chose Nembroth ther due, ther gouernour
Hem to conveie and doon to hem socour, "^
To been ther guide, afForn as thei were war,
Toward a contre which callid is Sennar, 109a
1058. his] om. R.
1059, 61, 62. glo'"'
1075. magnefye
1079. which {)at
R.
loire, victoire, memoire B, R,
{] multeplie B, J, H 5, R.
t H; R, R 3, H 5, P agree wh
.1
agree with B.
BK. 0
Tbr Story of Nimrod
In compas wise rouwd a-boute closid
With a gret flood namyd Eufrates.
Ther straunge foli which thei han purposid,
For to fulfiUe thei wer nat rek[e]les: 1096
This to seyne, thei put hemsilfF in pres.
So hih a tour for to edefie,
Which that sholde surmounte a-boue the skie,
That thei sholde greued be no more, noo
With no deluge brouht to destruccioun.
Nor that watres may nat greue hem sore,
This was the fyn off ther entenciouw.
And off that tour & myhti strong dongoun, 1104
Geyn God and floodis hemsiluen to assure.
The heihte and largesse were off o mesure.
Thus off Nembroth encresen gan the name;
And in the peeplis reputacioun, 1108
Off gold and richesse he hadde so gret a fame,
Thei callid hym god in ther opynyoun.
Most eurous, most myhti off renoun.
The world al hool vndir his obeissaunce, 1112
As god and lord he took the gouernauwce.
Vndir whos myht the peeple gan proceede.
He as a lord hauyng inspeccioun,
Pershyng the bowell[s] off the erthe in deede 1116
To make myhti ther fundacioun;
And off fals glory and veyn ambicioun.
This proude Nembroth in his appetit,
To seen hem werke hadde ful gret delit. 11 20
His ioie was and his inward gladnesse
To beholde so gret a cumpanye
Percen the erthe bi so gret depnesse,
To make the ground[e] strong bi masounrye, 1124
The werk vpward for to fortefie,
With many a ston, huge & large off weihte,
Thei han it reisid vp in the heir off heihte.
And fynali bi mediacioun 1128
Off this gret werk Nembroth wex famous,
Takyng in herte gret consolacioun,
1099. that^ om. H.
II 16. bowett R 3, H, bouel R, bowels J, bowelles H 5, bowels P.
1 1 23. P^fsyng H.
31
by building
a high tower.
Nimrod's repu-
tation grew;
he was con-
sidered a
god, and
governed the
whole world.
He rejoiced
in the build-
ing of his
tower.
and in his
riches and
fame.
32
The Story of Nimrod
[bk. I
The tower
was called
Babel, but
now it is
the lair of
serpents and
the air about
it is in-
fected.
Yet it rises
to the stars
so mightily
that no liv-
ing creature
ever saw
another like
it.
Nimrod grew
proud and
thought him-
self the equal
of God.
who thereupon
knocked down a
great part of his
tower and killed
bis workmen.
That be report he was so glorious,
Off so gret myht & off port so pompous, 1132
That he was so myhti, riche and strong
To reise a tour, so wid, so large, so long.
For to this day touchyng the grete myht [p. 16]
Off this tour, which Babel yit men call, 1136
Men fro ful ferr may han therof a syht.
For it surmouMtith othir touris all.
Off which[e] werk thus it is befall.
Off serpentis and many a gret dragoun 1140
It is now callid cheefF habitaciouw,
That no man dar, as ferr as thei it see,
For wikkid heir and for corrupcioun,
Bi a gret space and hi a gret contre 1144
Approche no neer that merueilous dongoun,
So venymous is that mansioun
And so horrible, no man dar approche,
Lik to a mounteyn bilt off a craggi roche. 1148
And as men seyn that haue had ther repair.
This tour atteynyth onto the sterris cleer.
And transcendith the regioun off the hair.
The ston, the syment wer maad off such mateer, 1152
And the ioynyng so stedfast and enteer,
Thouh fir and watir bothe it dede assaile,
Ful lite or nouht ther power sholde auaile.
It was maad so myhti to endure, 1156
So weel assurid be disposicioun.
That in this world no lyuyng creature
Sauh neuer noon lik in comparisouw;
Whos reryng up was cheeff occasiouw, 1160
And the richesse off the masounrye,
Wherthoruh Newbroth off pride and surquedie
Dempte proudli, as in his auys.
He transcendid all othre in noblesse, 1164
Thouhte hymsilff most myhti & most wis,
Felawe to God, as be liklynesse.
But God, that can al worldli pride oppresse.
And make pryncis eclipsen in ther glory, 1168
Such as truste in thyngis transitory —
The same Lord off his eternal myht.
This tour which Nembroth list to edefie,
He made with thondir & with leuene liht 1172
BK. i]
The Story of Nimrod
33
TherofF to falle a ful gret partie;
The boistous wyndis and the rage skie,
And Goddis power on the tother side,
Gan thus a-bate a parcel off his pride. 1176
And in discence and fallyng off the stonys,
Off the werkmen ful many a man was ded,
And oppressid, ther bak Ibroke and bonys,
The masounry with ther blood was red: 1180
Yit proude Newbroth, that of this werk was hed.
With al these signes his Lord ne list nat knowe,
For which his pompe was afftir brouht ful lowe.
But Nimrod,
angry and
undaunted.
But in his errour procedith forth off newe,
Thouhte he wolde gete hymselff a name,
Off malencolie gan chaunge look and hewe.
And gan also attempten and attame.
For to encrece and magnefie his fame,
A newe tour to edefie a-geyn,
Lik as God hadde be blynd & nothyng seyn.
He wolde haue rauht up to the sterris seuene
Bassent off hem that gan hym first counsaile,
Robbid God, & from hym rauht the heuene;
But who presumeth the Lord aboue tassaile,
It were no resoun that he sholde auaile:
Pryncis may weel ageyn hym crie loude,
But his power may clipse with no cloude.
For in the middis off his grete emprises.
This proude Nembroth makyng his masouns
For to compasse and castyn there deuises,
Gemetriens in ther dyuysiouns, —
But God that hath his inspecciouns,
Seyng thentent off eueri ertheli man.
As he that is most myhti and best can
Ageyn ther malis make resistence,
Ther worldli power, ther domynacioun
Off his onchaungable & most magnificence
1 174. rage] Ragous H, ragious R 3, P.
1 1 88. fame] name H.
1 197. clipse] clippe R.
1 199. masouns] mansiouns H.
1201. Gemetriens] Geometrj^ens R, Geometries H 5, Geme-
tries J, Geraetriciens R 3, Gemetriens H, P.
itarted to
build a new
tower.
He would
have snatched
the heaveni
from God,
1 184
1 188
II92
II96
but God
know* the
1200 mindi of all
men.
1204
34
The Story of Nimrod
[bk. I
and can
punish the
pride of
princes.
God made a
confusion of
tongues
and divided
the hearts of
the work-
They quar-
relled with
one another
and forsook
the land of
Shinar.
Nimrod's
efforts were
in vain.
He can chastise and ouerwhelme doun — 1208
The pride off pryncis in eueri regioun,
Bexauwple off Nembroth, a-noon as ye shal heer,
Whos pompe rauhte a-boue the stems deer.
For whan his werkmen stood at auauntage, 1212
And most were besi to his entencioun,
And to-fortyme spak al o language,
Al sodenli be transmutacioun
Ther was off tunges maad a dyuysioun, 1216
That in ther werkyng as thei gan abraide,
No man wiste what that othir saide.
And it is likli accordyng with resouw, [p. 17]
So as the chaung was maad off ther languages, 1220
So off ther hertis was maad dyuysiouw,
Bothe off ther will, and off ther corages;
And in descendyng off ther werkyng stages,
Ther was such chaung off brother onto brother, 1224
Lik strauMgers noon knew thentent off other.
Myn auctour trowith that this dyuersite
Was for ther gilt causid be vengauwce,
And ellis God off riht and equite 1228
Disposid hath in his ordenauwce
To been a-mong hem so gret a variauwce,
That thoruh the world thei sholde hewself deuyde,
And from Nembroth disseuere & nat a-bide. 1232
Thei gan a-noon a-mong hemsilff disdeyne
To accepte this Nembroth for ther kyng;
Yit a-mong hem, in soth ther wer nat tweyne
Oon off a-nother that hadde cleer knowyng, 1236
Nor off ther speche that knew the pleyn menyng:
For which the contre off Sennar thei forsook,
And ech off hem a sondri contre took.
Thei departid, made no lengere spacis,
Folwyng the fortune off ther dyuysioun,
And gan to chese hem newe duellyng placis
In the parties off many a regioun;
And thus Nembroth was pryued & put doun.
And off Babel, the myhti famous tour,
He was no lengere callid possessour:
1240
1244
1220. maad] om. H.
1244. thus] this H.
BK. Q The Story of Nimrod 35
. For a-geyn the pride off this Nembroth ^'a^TI,'^'^
rroward fortune gan hir cours to vane, 1248
And God also was in maner wroth.
Off surquedie that he was so contrarie;
And for the place was wilde and solitarie
Off this Sennar, furious and sauage, 1252
Nembroth gan feeble & falle into gret age.
And 5at summe bookis off hym specefie, b^kf"'
He wix froward off his condicioun, ^« '^»» ^^
And was first ground off ydolatrie 1256 idolatry.
And fyndere up off fals relegioun,
Causyng peeplis to haue openyoun
Goddis to worshepe in paganysme wise,
Foundour off rihtis and off fals sacrefise. 1260
Toward Perce he ches his duellyng-place.
Which contre is in the orient; h^ ^^^ ^^
That his lordship sholde strecch a gret[e] space, •""* '"* ^'^^
He bounded hym into the Occident: 1264
For Perce-lond haueth his extent
Toward the parties of the Rede Se;
And this land Perce, who-so list [to] see.
As bookis olde remembre and put in mvnde — 1268 /"'^ 7H.
TT I r> • 1 • '''°'° Media
rlow that rerce costeieth enviroun » Gennany.
Septemtrion and the grettere Inde
And many a-nothir myhti regioun,
Wher Nembroth first hadde domynacioun, 1272
Which extendith, as bookis specefie,
Out off Mede into Germanye.
But in lordshipes, as myn auctour seith. There u no
Withoute that vertu be ther trewe guide, 1276 •of'^sbip"'*
In hem ther is suraunce noon nor feith — grodneL.
Thyng that passith, which may no while abide;
Wherfore Bochas, in despit off pride
And in rebukyng off all folkis proude, 1280
Makyng his compleynt crieth to hem ful loude:
1255. wix B, R, wexe J, wexe H 5, P, wex R 3.
1265. haueth] hath H. J.
1267. this] his this R.
1280. in]om. H.
1281. Makyng] Maketh R.
36
An Exclamation against Proud Men
[bk. I
You who
are proud,
who trust to
reign long,
build your
huge castles,
let your men-
at-arms keep
watch,
as if God
were unable
to take
vengeance
on you!
Set before
your blind
eyes the
pride of
Nimrod.
Though your
power be
great, God
will con-
found ycm.
f The mater ageyn l)e pride of princis.
[An exclamacioun of Bochas ageyn al proude men/
shewyng how god may them and theire pride
whan him best list by many dyuers menes and
wayes punysshe & chastise.] ^
YE all proude, most royall in yoi^r flouris,
Which that most truste for to regne longe,
Dressith up yo^^r rochis & your touris, 1284
And ageyn God make your-siluen stronge,
And lat your power proudll vndirfonge
Your-silfF with pride for to magnefie,
Ageyns the heuene to holden chauwpartie. 1288
Beeldith your castelHs, reiseth hem vp on heihte
Off adamantis [with iren] stronge Ibounde,
With squar[e] stonys, large & huge off weihte,
Reise up yo^r wallis, most myhti and profouwde, 1292
And shet your dongouws with myhti cheynys rounde.
Let men off armys, who-euer wake or sleepe,
Nyht & day your wacch so streihtli keepe,
As God nor man, in your opynyouws, [p. 18]
Your forteressis ne myhte nat assaile.
Your castellis nor your stronge dongouns
Stujffid with men and plente off vitaile,
Lik to stonde euere and neuere for to faile,
As God nat myhte a-geyn your fals puissauwce
Whan-euer hym list off riht. to do vengaunce!
Settith afforn your eyen that be blynde
The monstruous werk off grete Babilouw;
The pride off Nembroth ther was put behynde,
Maugre his myht, and his tour smet doun:
For al the crafft off werkman or masoun
Destroied was with a sodeyn leuene,
Tauenge his pride sent a-dou« fro heuene.
For thouh your strengthes so assurid be,
That noon engyn may therto atteyne,
Gunne nor buwbard hi no subtilite,
1296
1300
1304
1308
1290. with iren] om. B, R, H, R 3, P;
bounde H 5.
1293. myhti cheynys] cheynes myhti R.
1289,98. CastettH.
13 12. Bombard H.
^ MS. J. leaf 7 verso.
13"
with Irons stronge
BK. l]
An Exclamation against Proud Men
37
Shot off arblast nor touch off dundeyne;
Yit God that is lord and souereyne,
Which lich desertis can bothe spille and saue,
Mai al confounde with an erthe-quaue.
Myn auctour axith, what castel or what tour
May be so strong[e] maad in any wise,
But that be mene off sum fals tretour,
Or be sum weie that he can deuise,
Jt may be lost or sold for couetise
And delyuered, for al ther stronge bondis.
Into the power off enmyes hondis.
Or bi sum other sodeyn auenture,
Castellis, citees and many a riche toun
Han been lost; thei myhte hem nat assure
For to resiste a-geyn[e]s fals tresoun:
Summe ha be lost eek bi rebellioun;
And alle these menys, the trouthe to be-gynne,
Ys but punshyng which God sent for synne.
God hath a thousand handis to chastise,
A thousand dartis off punycioun,
A thousand bowes maad in vnkouth wise,
A thousand arblastis bent in his dongoun,
Ordeyned echon for castigacioun;
But where he fynt meeknesse & repentaunce,
Mercy is maistresse off his ordynaunce.
Ye that be wise, considreth how the roote
Off vicis alle is pride, ye may weel see;
Pullith hym doun and put hym vndir foote
And tak your counseil off humilite:
And yff ye list [to] stonde in surete,
Beeldith in herte for mor sekimesse
A tour off vertues groundid on meeknesse,
Whos masonrie is off no costage,
Off vertues ground and souereyne,
Blast off wy^ndis and off wedris rage.
Nor no tempest hasti nor sodeyne,
Pompe nor host, thouh thei doon her peyne,
1316
1320
1332
T-Zi^
1340
1344
1^8
TLe strongeat
c^ castles
may be lost
by treasm
1324
1328
or rebeilk>a.
God can
punish if he
wili, and
shew mercy
where he
find* re-
poitance.
Pride Is the
root of all
vices; build
in your
hearts a
tower of
It will stand
fore\-er.
13 13. aroweblast J, arrowblast H 5 — dundejTie] dundeyne R,
Dondeyn H, don^dejne J, doudeyn R 3, dundayn H 5,
dondine P. 1325. Castetl H.
1335. echon ordej-ned H. 1342. to] om. H, R.
38
An Exclamation against Proud Men
[bk. I
Meekness
conquers all
worldly
troutle.
She may be
sorely tried,
but she will
win in the
end.
This vertu meeknesse for to vndirmyne, —
Thei be to feeble to make hire for tenclyne.
For wher meeknesse is groundid verraily, 1352
Thouh he sumwhile feele aduersite,
He passith ouer and sufFreth paciently
And venguisshith al maner enmite,
Thassaut also and the contrariouste 1356
OfF infortune, and ofF worldli trouble,
And off victory conquereth a palme double.
And thouh meeknesse a-myd the flodis flowe
OfF worldli myscheefF and persecucioun, 1360
Whil Pacience in hir boot doth rowe,
Thouh froward wawes posse hir up & douw,
A calm shal folwe ofF consolacioun,
Whan Sterne wyndis ther blastis ha[ue] leid lowe, 1364
The name ofF meeknesse shal shewe & be knowe.
She may be troublid, but ouercome neuere;
But for a tyme she may sulFer werre,
But atte eende she venquisshith euere, 1368
On londe and se, wher she be nyh or ferre:
To the hauene ofF lyfF she was our lodesterre,
I take record on the humylite
OfF Mary, so blissid mut she be. 137a
The roote ofF meeknesse flourith up so faire,
Whos beute dredith no tribulaciouns;
In somer, wyntir his flouris nat appaire,
And hir frut last in al maner sesouns: 1376
Pride may assaile with his bostful souns.
But fynaly for hir encres ofF glorie.
With humblesse she wynnith the victorie.
You who
have read
this tragedy,
take heed to
Meekness,
[Lenvoy.]
OFOLKIS all that this tragedie reede, [p. 19] 1380
Haueth to meeknesse a-mowg your adu^rtence,
OfF proude Nembroth also takith heede,
How that he fill from his magnificence,
Onli for he be sturdi violence 1384
List off malis the myhti Lord assaile,
But in such caas what myht his pride auaile?
135 1, for tenclyne] to inclyne H, the entire line is written in
a later hand. 1370. our] Jie J, the H 5.
1371. on]ofFR. 1381. Haueth] hath H.
BK. l]
Saturn and the Process of Time
39
Noble Pryncis, which that this world posseede,*
Ye that be famous off wisdam and prudence,
And han so many subiectis, that you dreede,
In gouemaunce vndir your excellence,
Lat your power with meeknesse so dispence,
That fals[e] pride oppresse nat the poraile.
Which to your noblesse so moche may auaile.
Pride of Nembroth dede the bridil leede,
Which hym conueied to gret insolence;
Pride apperteneth nothyng to manheede,
Sauf in armys to shewen his presence —
Wherfore honour, laude and reuerence
Be to meeknesse, that hath the gouernaile
Off alle vertues man may most auaile.
1388
1392
1396
1400
[Bow many yeres was betwixt Adam and Nembroth
and betwixt Nembroth and Cadmus and of other
kynges.] ^
THESE olde poetis with ther sawes swete
Ful couertli in ther vers do feyne.
How olde Satwme was whilom kyng of Crete,
And off custum dede his besy peyne,
Off his godhed list for to ordeyne
That he sholde, as off his nature,
Echon deuoure as by his engendrure.
In this mateer shortli to soiourne,
To vndirstonde off poetis the processe,
Thei meene pleynli that this woord Satume
Doth in it-silff nothyng but tyme expresse;
And philisophres here also witnesse.
That as in tyme, foorth eu<fry thyng is brouht,
So tyme ageynward bryngith eu<rry thing to nouht.
Clerkis recorde eek in ther writyng,
Vndir support as I dar reherse, 1416
How that fir wastith euery thyng.
And iren hard doth nesshe thynges perse;
Yiff auht a-bitt that they may nat transuerse,
Yit comyth tyme, and bi contynuaunce,
And al consumeth with his sharp[e] launce.
1404
1408
1412
1420
and, Princei,
let not your
pride oppress
the poor.
Remember
the pride of
Nimrod.
Saturn was
once king of
Crete. He
devoured his
children as
they were
born.
His name
means time,
which brings
all things to
nought.
and is more
powerful
than iron
or fire.
1387. posseede] do^) posseede B, R, do possede J, He — that]
OOT. j, H5. 1403. was] om. H. 1407. engendrure] engendure R.
141 1, it-silff] t)e silff H. 1416. I is misplaced afur reherse R.
1 MS. J. leaf 8 recto.
40
Time destroys all Things
[bk. I
TTie passing
of years
causes the
greatness of
men to fade.
Their names
are forgotten.
Time wastes
and destroys
all things.
In the
earliest age
Fortuna was
steadfast.
From the
time of
Adam to
Nimrod noth-
ing notable
happened.
His sharp[e] toth of consumpcioun
In stille wise doth his besi cure
For to anentise, in conclusiouw, 1424
Alle thynge that is brouht foorth bi Nature,
Bi long abidyng thei may hem nat assure;
For olde thyngis deuourid men may see,
Fer out off mynde, as thei neuer had be. 1428
Who can or may remembre in any wise
The glorious prowesse off these pryncis olde.
Or the noblesse of philisophres wise,
Or off poetis the feynyng to onfolde: 1432
Processe off yeris, alias! as I you tolde,
Deuoured hath ther fame and ther noblesse,
Derkid ther renoun bi foryetilnesse.
Thus off ther namys is lefft no memory, 1436
Tyme* with his rasour hath doon so gret vengance,
Shauen a-wey the honour and the glory
Off many a noble, ful myhti off puissance.
That there is lefft now no remembrance 1440
Off pryncis, poetis, nor off philisophres;
For whan that deth nailed hem in ther cofres, •
Kam tyme vpon, and bi processe off yeeris
Ther memory hath duskid and ther mynde, 1444
And reuolucioun off the heuenli speeds,
Bi offte turnyng ther glory hath lefft behynde:
Thus euery thyng which subiect is to Kynde,
Is* in this liff withoute mor auauntage 1448
Wastid with tyme and processe off long age.
In the firste age from Adam to Noe,
Prudent listres, which list in bookis reede,
Fynde off Fortune no mutabilite, 145a
Nor off hir chaungis took[e] tho noon hede;
But from Adam ther reknyd been in deede
Onto Nembroth, bi turnyng off the heuene,
A thousand yeer, seuene huwdrid and elleuene. 1456
In which[e] space, who that considreth weel,
Ther be no thyngis write in special,*
Digne off memorie nor spoke off neueradeel,
1424. aventisshe J, anentissh H 5. 1432. feynyng] feyng R.
1437. Tyme] Tymes B, R. 1443- and] om. R.
1445. And] And the R — the] om. R.
1448. Is] As B, R. 1450. to] vn to H. 1457. considre H.
1458. write] writen R — special] especial B.
BK. i] Fixoses and Tbanaus 41
Which that be notable nor historial; 1460
But fro the tyme Nembroth hadde a fal,
Onto Cadmus the yeeris to contene,
Thei were a thousand, foure hundrid & fourtene.
Touchyng [this] Cadmus, as Bochas list Uie'fim'SSg
tendite, [p. 20] 1464 "^ ^gypt.
It is rehercid bi rethoriciens.
How oon Vixoses, in bookis as thei write,
Was maad first kyng off the Egipciens,*
Where philisophres & nygromanciens 1468
Gan first tabounde ther renoun to auaunce,
Nachor that tyme hau>Tig the gouemaunce
Off the Hebreus, as maad is mencioun — ^^^^
Afftir Nembroth, bi trewe rehersaile, 1472 ^* J'"-
Thre hundred yeer bi computacioun.
Four score & tuelue, which tyme, it is no faile, lu^EBTtr?
That Vixorses gan to werre & eek bataile might of
Off volunte geyn straunge naciouns, 1476 his name
And to conquere citees, burwes [&] touns. foi^nen.
Bi force onli, withoute title off riht,
He wan al Egipt to encrece his name;
But for al that, who list to haue a siht, 1480
There is now lefft no report off his fame,
Sauf Bochas writ, how he first dede attame
His myhti conquest off entencioun
That the glory and the hih renoun 1484
Ascryued were onto his worthynesse, |^^ ^^ei
And the residue and the surplusage S^SJ^
Off gold, off tresor, off good & off richesse
Tume sholde to comoun auauntage 14SS
Off al his peeple, that euery maner age
Reporte myhte, it was to hym mor nerre
Boue syngulerte his comoun to preferre.
q Eek Thanaus off Cithie first kyng, 1492 'S^^^
Whan Saruch was duk & souereyne ' Scythu.
Ouer* the lewes, be record off writyng, —
1463. foure] iiij B. 1464. this] om. R, H.
1467. The gipciens B. 1470. Nakor H. 1474. twelue] xij B.
1475. Vixorses B, R, Vixoses J, H, H 5, P, vixioses R 3 —
werre] werrej' H.
1479. to encrece] tencres of H, to encrease of P, to thencrece
R 3. 1481. fame] name R. 1491. s\-ngulert R.
1492. Thanaus] tanaus R, Thonans J, Thomvs H, Thomas
H 5, P, thanas R. 3. 1494. Ouer] Euer B, R.
42
Zoroaster and Ninus
I^BK. I
His name too
is forgotten.
Of Zoroaster
we know
nothing, ex-
cept that he
laughed the
hour he was
born.
Ninus was
another
conqueror.
Such men
are never
satisfied until
finally
Fortune
casts them
down.
Too hundred yeer, sexti and eek tweyne
AfFtir Nembroth, this Tanaus gan ordeyne 1496
A myhti power and a strong bataile
Hem off Cithie proudli to assaile,
Conqueryng fro thens onto the ile
CalHd Ponto, in ful cruel wise: 1500
And thouh his lordship last nat but a while,
Al that he wan, it was for couetise;
And as Bochas doth off these folk deuise,
Processe off yeris, for al ther gret puissauwce, 1504
Hath put ther namys out off remembraunce.
^ Zorastres eek, for al his grete myht.
Off Bactrians kyng and possessour,
Lord off Trace and a ful manli knyht, 1508
OfF all his dedis and off his gret labour.
Off his conquest nor off his gret honour
Is nothyng lefFt, off writyng us beforn,
Sauf that he louh the hour whan he was born. 1512
He began ful soone to be merie.
With sodeyn lauhtir at his natyuyte;
And worthy Nynus, that was kyng oflF Assirie,
Expowned his lauhtre to gret felicite, 1516
The which[e] Nynus wan many a strauwge cuntre,
And day be day his power gan encrese.
For which he wolde off his conquest nat cese.
For this the maner off these conqueroures: 1520
Whan thei haue had in armis o victorie,
Thei do ther myht, ther peyne & ther laboures
With newe emprises to be put in memorie;
For ther corages, supprisid with veynglorie, 1524
Can nat be stille content in ther estat
Til her parodie sey to hem chek-maat.
Fortune ofF armys, in bookis ye may reede.
With a fals lauhtre on folkis thouh she smyle, 1528
She froward euere, or thei can takyn heede,
OfF hit nature will falsly hem be-gyle;
Conquest bi werre lastith but a whyle,
1496. Tanaus] thauance P, Thomvs H, Thomas H 5.
1499. onto] In to H. 1500. Ponto] Ponte J.
1506. Zorastres] Zorastes R j, Zoroastres P, Zorastees R.
1511. toforn H. 1513. fulj wol R.
1520. maner] mateer R.
1528. a] om. R — folkis] bookis H.
BK. l3
Zoroaster and Ninus
43
For who bi deth doth sturdi violense, 1532
God will bi deth his vengaunce recompense.
^ This worthy Nynus gan myhtili preuaile
A-geyn Zorastres, off whom I spak tofore;
For he with hym fauht last in bataile, 1536
In which Nynus hath hym so weel Ibore,
That Zorastres hath the feeld Ilore.
And he was auctour, as bookis specefie,
Off fals magik and off nygromancie. 1540
He fond the nature off euery element,
Ther kyndeli werkyng & ther mutaciouns,
The cours off sterris & off the firmament,
Ther influencis, ther disposiciouns, 1544
Ther aspectis and ther coniuncciouns,
Wrot in peleris deuised off metall
The seuene sciencis callid liberall.
Eek in pilers off brik ful harde Ibake, [p. 21] 1548
Which were up set, longe, large & huge.
He gan eek write hem & to vndirtake
To make hem seur, as for ther refuge.
That thei sholde be flood nor [no] deluge 1552
Diffacid been, as off ther scripture.
But in ther grauyng perpetueli endure.
But thouh Zorastres this crafft first out fond,
Ful lite or nouht to hym it myhte auaile;
And thouh he were a good knyht off his bond,
He was off Nynus slay[e]n in bataile,
Loste his rewm and royal apparaile;
And Nynus deide withynne a litil throwe,
But in what wise the story is nat knowe.
^ Eek Moides kyng off Sodomee,
I fynde off hym no memory be writyng,
Sauff in a story, as men may reede and see.
He and his peeple were fre in ther lyuyng;
But he that was off Assiriens kyng,
Thoruh fals Fortune, that can so offte varie.
To Babiloyne made hem tributarie.
Ninui de-
feated
Zoroaster,
who wrote
books o£
magic.
1556
i=;6o
1564
and caused
the seven
sciences to
be inscribed
on strong
pillars, tnat
they might
endure
forever.
But Nina*
slew him
in battle,
and looa
after he
also died.
The people oi
Sodom were
free in their
living.
1568
IS35- A-geyn] geyn H — to forn/r H.
1548. brik] breke H.
1552. no] om. R, H 5.
1554. endure] to endure R.
1567. ofFten H.
1537. bom/ H.
44
Moses and Pharaoh
[]bk. I
Pharaoh and
his men were
drowned in
the Red Sea,
but Moses
and the Jews
passed safely.
In Exodus
we read
about the
Twelve
Plagues,
and how the
Jews robbed
the Egyptians.
Pharaoh pur-
sued them,
but lost his
life because
he was
proud and
obstinate.
^ We han eek sey[e]n and rad also
The vengaunces and the pestilence
Doon in Egipt to kyng Pharao,
For that he made a maner resistence 1572
Ageyn[e]s God, off wilful necligence;
Therfore his peeple vpon a day and he
Were dreynt echon amyd the Rede Se.
The peeplis off God lad be Moyses, 1576
Withoute trouble off any maner wawe,
Wente echon sauf in quiete & in pes;
And Pharao, as he gan afFtir drawe
Hem to pursue, bi a ful mortal lawe, 1580
In his pursut froward and atteynt,
A-mong the wawes with his host was dreynt.
In Exodo ben the menciouns
Ceriousli put in remembrauwce, 1584
The twelue plages and persecuciouns
In Egipt doon, bi ful gret vengaunce;
And off ther tresor & ther gret substauwce
Thei were despoilid bi Hebreus, it is told, 1588
Off ther vesselis off siluer & off gold.
And out off Egipt ful gret tresor thei ladde,
Such as thei thouhte myhte hem most auaile;
And Pharao, I fynde that he hadde 1592
Too huwdrid charis enarmyd for bataile,
Hem to pursue and proudli to assaile,
And fifti thousand, in whom ther was no lak,
Off men off armys folwyng on horsbak. 1596
Too hundred thousand off footmen hym aboute,
And off Egipt al this cheualrie;
And Pharao with al [t]his gret[e] route
Gan Israel pursuen off envie, 1600
But for his pride and fals surquedie.
He and his peeple wer drownyd euerichon,
Off al his nouwbre ther was lefft nat oon.
His froward herte a-geyn God indurat, 1604
Fulfillid off malis and obstynacie,
And [in] his purpos proud and obstynat:
1569. eek] om. J, H 5.
1576. peeplis] peeple H. 1579- gan] can R.
1583. exodi J, Exody P, H 5.
1585. twelue] xijB. 1606. in] ow. R.
BK. f\
Ogygus of Thebes
45
These foule vicis, or he koude hem espie,
From his glory and his regalie 1608
He was cast doun, thouh he tofForn was crownyd,
A-myd the se a-mong his peeple drownyd.
[Off Oggigus, kyng of Thebes.] ^
^ A-nothir prynce caUid Oggigus,
Kyng off Thebes, as bookis determyne.
And foundour was, thus Bochas tellith us,
Off a cite calHd Eleusyne,
Which stant in Grece, whos power to declyne
Ther fill a flood in that regioun,
Which ouerflowed ful many a royal toun.
And in Achaia it dede most damage,
Tyme off lacob, the patriark notable;
And this deluge with his wawes rage
Slouh lordis manye, & pryncis honurable:
For dame Fortune is so deceyuable.
That she sumwhile, whan she list disdeyne.
Can folk assaile with a flood sodeyne.
This flood also, where it dede assaile,
Wastid comys bothe crop and roote,
Causid also scarsete off vetaile.
That many a man felte ful vnsoote;
The pore nat wiste wher to fynde boote.
For ther pryncis supprisid were with dreed,
Thoruh lak off vitaile in that grete need.
Ogygus
founded
Eleusis ia
Greece,
1612
1616
where there
was a great
flood in the
- time of
1020 Jacob.
1624
1628
[Off a grete Flood in Tessalie.] *
fl Anothir flood there was in Thessalie, [p. 22] 1632
In the tyme whan kyng Amphioun
Heeld the sceptre and the regalie
Vpon Thebes the myhti stronge toun,
Beside the kyngdam off Semalioun, 1636
This same tyme, this flood, ful dout[e]les,
Whan Goddis peeple was lad be Moises.
With this flood the land hadde be deuourid
Off Thessalie, and al that regiouw, 1640
But on Pemaso the peeple was socourid.
1639. the] this H.
^ MS. J. leaf 9 recto.
There wa«
another flood
in Thessaly,
but the
people found
refuge on
the hills of
Parnassus.
* MS. J. leaf 9 verso.
46
The Story of his
[bk. I
During
Cecrops'
reign in
Athens, there
was a plague
of heat
called the
Embracing
of Phaeton.
I sis, daughter
of Prometheus,
married Apis,
king of
Argos.
She was very
beautiful
and a ward
of her uncle
Epimetheus.
Jupiter fell
m love with
her
And on the rochis that stoden enviroun
Fond ther refut, to ther sauaciouw,
And gret socour, til the flodis rage 1644
Gan disencrece, withdrawen & asswage.
^ In olde stories ye may also see,
Whan Cicraps hadde first possessioun
Off Athenes the myhti strong cite, 1648
An heete ther fill in that regeoun.
Be influence that descendid doun
From all the bodies aboue celestiall.
Which likli was for to deuouren all. 1652
And this hete engendrid off the suwne,
In dyuers cuntrees, bothe in lengthe & breede.
Hath his cours so myhtili begunwe
That many folkis fillyn in gret dreede — 1656
Ryuers, wellis, who that list taken heede,
Consumed were and dreied up echon,
The hete callid thenbracyng off Pheton.
[]Off goodly Isis, Wiff to Apys kyng of Arg3rue slajm
bi his broJ)er T3^eus.] ^
^ We haue eek rad in stories heer-tofForn, 1660
How that Ysis to Egipt took hir fliht
Out off Grece, the trewe doubter born
Off Promotheus, a ful manly knyht;
And this Ysis in euery manwys siht 1664
So fressh, so goodli, weddid bi hir lyue
To worthi Apis, that was kyng off Argyue.
The which Ysis, excellyng off beute,
Afftyr tyme hir fadir was Igraue, 1668
She was Iput for mor surete
With hir vncle, that sholde keepe & saue
This seid[e] maide, that no man sholde hir haue;
And hir vncle, in Ouyde ye may see, 1672
Lik as he writ, was callid Epymethe.
And flouryng up in hir tendir age.
This seid Ysis so plesant was & meete,
Off semlynesse, off look & off visage, 1676
1644. til] to H.
1646. also may H, R 3, all so Je may H 5, also ye may P.
1651. scelestiall H. 1653. ofT] first of H.
1657. list taken] listen talc R. 1668. tyme] om. R.
1669. put R, R 3, putte H 5. 1671. This] )^t H.
^MS. J. leaf 9 verso.
BK. i}
The Story of Isis
47
That lubiter, the myhti kyng off Creete,
Was enamerid with hir for to meete;
And she, excitid off femyn^te,
Enclynyd hir herte onto his deite.
And for she was off hir entent so cleene,
Obeieng hym in most lowH wise,
Off Argyuois he maad hir to be queene.
Because that she was smet in couetise,
Ageyn Argus a werre she gan deuise,
And for he was vnweeldi off his age,
Hir to withstonde he fond non auauntage.
But yit Fortune gan vp[on] hir frowne,
And kyng Argus thoruh his subtilite.
With his counseil so prudentli gan rowne.
That she was take bi ful gret cruelte,
And hir soudeours were eek made* to fle;
And bi Argus, ther geyned no ransoun,
She fetrid was & put in strong presoun.
But hir sone, the god Mercurius,
Riht fressh, riht lusti & ful off hardynesse.
And off his herte inU coraious,
AgeyTi[es] Argus gan his power dresse,
And so entierli dede his besynesse
That he was slay[e]n, in conclusioun,
And Ysis afftir delyuerid fro prisoun.
Off hir sleihtis afftirward nat feynt.
She took a ship and into Egipt wente.
In which[e] ship ther was a cow depeynt;
And Mercury,* whom lupiter eek sent,
Is gon with hir, bothe off oon entent.
To make a mariage afftir a-noon riht
Twen hir and Apis, a prynce off ful gret myht.
She was riht wis boue* othir creatures,
Secret off cunnj-ng, weel expert in science,
She tauhte first lettres and figures
To Gipciens be pleyn experience.
Gaff hem cunnyng and intelligence
1680
and made
her queen of
the Arrives.
She warred
on Argnt,
16&4
1688 who captured
her and put
her in prison.
1692
but her ton
Mercury
1696 Jew Ai^s
and Kt her
free.
1700
She then
took ship to
EgTpt and
married Apis.
1704
1708
1712
She taught
the Egyp-
tians how to
write and to
till their
land.
1680. deite] darte R. 1688. vpon] vp R.
1692. madej fayn B, R — eek] also J, H 5.
1705. Mercur>-j Cheurie R, B, Cheuerj' H, thouris J, thoures
H 5, Mercun- P.
1709. boue] aboue B, R, H, J, P, H 5.
48
The Story of Isis
[bk. I
and wag
worshiped
as a goddess.
Apis, her
husband, son
of Jupiter
and Niobe,
was cruelly
slain by his
brother
Typhon,
and after-
wards be-
came the
god Serapis.
To tile ther land, tauhte ther laborerls
To sowe ther greyn & multeplie bl yeris.
And In Egipt hir fame and hir renoun [p. 23] 1716
Gan day be day wexe and hir worthynesse,
Holde off cunnyng and reputacioun
Be signes shewed, nat onli a pryncesse,
But she was holde a-mong hem a goddesse, 1720
And with worshepis which that were dyuyne
And sacrefises, to hir thei dede enclyne.
But to declare pleynli at a woord,
A-myd[des] al hir gret prosperite, 1724
Myhti Apis, hir husbonde and hir lord,
Prynce off Egipt and duk off that cuntre,
Sone off lubiter and off Nyobe,
Which Nyobe, bi lynage descendyng, 1728
The doubter was off Phoroneus the kyng —
^ And Phoroneus first the lawes fond
To which al Grece stant vndir obeissauwce,
And the statutis off that myhti lond 1732
Were establisshid bi his ordynauwce —
But for to write the vnhappi chauwce
Off kyng Apis, as it is remembrid.
He slay[e]n was and pitousli dismembrid 1736
Bi his brother callid Tiffeus,
Sumwhat off hatrede, but mor for couetise;
For Tiffeus was inli desirous
To reioishe in ful mortal wise 1740
The myhti kyngdam, as ye ban herd deuise,
Off Argyuoys to haue possessioun,
Preferrid be moordre & fals successioun.
And whan that Ysis fond hir lord so ded, 1744
Off entent that he were magnefied.
First off wisdam she gan takyn heed,
Ordeyned a mene that he were deified,
Hih a-mong goddis to be stellefied, 1748
In Egipt templis maad hym to be stallid,
And god Serapis afftir he was callid.
1718. and] & ofF R.
1720. a-mong hem] ther R.
1738. off] for H.
1743. fals] bi R.
BK. l]
Erysicbtbon and Danaus
49
1752
1756
QO]ff Grisiton ^at hes membres ete for hunger.] ^
^ What shal I write ofF the cas horrible
Off Erisiton, with hungir so constreynyd,
That his lifF was to hymsilfF odible,
In ThesaUe with indigence peynyd;
And pitousH his fame was disteynyd,
Whan he solde his doubter in seruage,
Liriope, which was but yong off age,
Beschaung off gold to purueie hym vitaile.
Off verray neede he was so wo-begon;
He hadde no thyng that myhte his thrust auaile, 1760
Nor staunche his hungir with gnawyng on a bon,
WTierfore he eet his membris oon bi oon.
A prynce, alias, was it nat pite
To seen hym deie in such aduersite!
^ We ban eek rad, ful many a day tofor.
The grete baneshyng and proscripcioun,
Off Argyuois how kyng Gelanor
Was crueli put from his regeoun;
And his lieges, off indignacioun.
In his place thei sette oon Danaus,
Sone and eek heir onto the god Belus.
The peeple off malis dede hym so encoumbre,
Tencrece his sorwe and his aduersite.
And fifti douhtren he hadde also in noumbre,
And Egistus his brother, eek parde
Hadde fifti sones, the story ye may see,
Atween the which bi surete off bond
In mariage there was maad a bond,
Vndir which compassid was tresoun,
Couertli thouh thei dede it hide.
But yiff ye list ban cleer inspeccioun
Off this story vpon eueri side,
Redith the legende of martirs off Cupide,
Which that Chaucer, in ordre as thei stood,
Compiled off women that were callid good.
Erysichthon
told hi*
daughter
for huoger.
and after-
ward*, alas,
ate hit
member*.
1764
1768
1772
1776
1780
1784
Danau*,
founder of
Argo*.
had fifty
daughter*,
who married
the fifty sons
ol i£gyptu*.
You will find
their story in
Chaucer,
1752. Erisiton] Grisiton J, P, Grisitoun H 5, Herisiten R 3.
1755. fame] name R.
1771. the] om. R.
1783. Redith] Reed R— off] & R.
* MS. J. leaf 10 recto.
so
[bk.
who also
told the
tale of
Philomela
and Procne.
It were pre-
eumption for
me to tell it
again.
I will go on
to Cadmus;
but I am
terry that
there are so
few good
women to
write about.
1788
1792
The Tale of Philomela and Procne
^ Touchyng the story off kyng Pandioun,
And off his goodli faire douhtren tweyne,
How Thereus, fals off condicioun,
Hem to deceyue dede his besi peyne,
Thei bothe namyd, off beute souereyne,
Goodli Progne and yong[e] Philomene,
Bothe innocentis and ofF entent ful cleene.
Ther pitous fate in open to expresse,
It were to me but a presumpcioun,
Sithe that Chaucer dede his besynesse
In his legende, as maad is menciouw, 1796
Ther martirdam and ther passioun,
For to reherse* hem dede his besy peyne,
As cheef poete caUid off Breteyne.
OfF goode women a book he dede write, [p. 24] 1800
The nouwbre compleet* fully ofFnynteene;
And there the story he pleynli dede endite
OfFTereus, ofF Progne &* Philomeene,
Where ye may seen ther legende, thus I meene, 1804
Doth hem worshepe & foorth ther lifF doth shewe
For a cleer merour, because ther be so fewe.
I will passe ouer and speke ofF hem no more,
And onto Cadmus foorth my stile dresse — 1808
Yit in my writyng it greueth me sore,
Touchyng ofF women ofF feith or stabilnesse, —
Blessid be God, — I fynde noon excesse;
And for ther been so fewe, as thynkith me, 181 2
The goode sholde been had in mor deynte.
This tragedy
told about
Saturn,
^ Lenvoy.
THIS tragedie bereth to you witnesse.
How Saturnus bi disposiciouw,
Maliciousli of his frowardnesse 1816
Causith in lune ful gret infecciouw.
She off nature conveieth the venym douw,
The hair infect, which no man may socoure,
Kometh deth a-noon, & all thynge doth deuoure. 1820
1787. And] om. H. 1798. reherse] rehersen B, R.
1801. compleet] vncompleet B, J, vncomplet H 5.
1802. pleynly he did H.
1803. Tereus] Terence H, Therence R 3, P, Theseus J, H 5 —
&] & off B, R, H. 1804. ther] i>e H.
BK. l]
Jupiter, Europa and Cadmus
SI
and the_
destructioa
of princes
and princesses
Princes, re-
member that
Fortuna is
deceitful.
Tyme from Adam, myn auctour doth expresse, two dduges,
Doun to Nembroth bi successioun.
His stile conueied bi gret auysynesse,
From Zorastres to kyng Pharaoun; 1824
CM too deluges he maketh mencioun.
In Thesalie the vengaunce gan laboure.
And in Achaia Thebes to deuoure.
Ye haue off hetis herd the gret excesse, 1828
Off pryncis, pryncessis ful gret destruccioun,
OfF Egistus the gret[e] wrechidnesse,
The furie off Tereus, the wo off Pandioun,
Off the too sustren the confusioun, 1832
And how ther fate gan vpon hem loure,
Ther felicite vnwarli to deuoure.
Pryncis, Pryncessis, your eyen doth up dresse —
I meene the eyen off your discrecioun — 1836
Seeth off this world the chaung, the doubilnesse,
The gret onseumesse, the variacioun,
And aduertisith, for al your hih renoun.
Fortunes dewes, whan thei most suetli shoure, 1840
Than is she falsest, your glorie* to deuoure.
[How lubiter rauisshed Europe, and how Cadmus
was sent/to seke hir in diuers Regiouns.J ^
BE rehersaile off many an old poete.
Be discent the lyne conueied doun.
Next Satt^mus, the myhti kyng off Crete, 1844
loue was crownyd bi successioun.
As next heir bi procreacioun,
Afftir his fadir the lond to enherite,*
Regned in Crete, as poetis list to write. 1848
Sone off the lynage, as I you tolde affom.
Off the goddis most souereyn and enteere,
Yit thouh he was off blood so hih I-bom,
He ches Europa for to been his feere, 1852
And doun descendid from his heuenli speere.
As he that was, for al his deite,
Supprisid in herte with hir gret beute.
1831. Tereus] Thereus R, H, R 3, P, J, H 5 — furie] furies H.
1832. 2ndthe]ofFR.
1835. The second line of this stanza misplaced at end, H.
1841. gloire B. 1847. tenherite B.
^ MS. J. leaf 10 verso.
Jupiter
succeeded
Saturn,
and chose
Europa to be
his wife.
52
The Story of Cadmus
Hbk. I
She was a
daughter of
Agenor.
Jupiter took
her by force
from her
father,
who told his
son Cadmus
to bring her
back or him-
self never to
return home
again.
Cadmus set
out
bravely
towards
Greece
And she was douhter to the myhti kyng
Callid Agenor, by lyneal discent,
Whos myhti kyngdaw & roial fair duellyng
Was in Phenice toward the orient;
And to Arabie his land was adiacent,
Ferre* be south, as ye may reede and see,
Toward the parties of the Rede Se.
But lubiter, whan he dede aduerte
Off Europa the gret[e] semlynesse,
Hym thouhte he was woundid thoruh the herte
Onto the deth, beholdyng hir fairnesse,
And for his constreynt, & his mortal distresse,
Seyng she was so fair fouwde* in his siht,
He rauesshid hire ofF veray force & myht.
But Agenor, hir owyn fadir deere,
Gan on this cas ful pitously compleyne,
Whan she, alias, most goodli and enteere.
Was hym berafFt, which doublid al his peyne;
Recur was noon, thouh he dede pleyne,
Til he, remembrynge in his regalie,
Thouhte he wolde senden to espie
His sone Cadmus hir to recure ageyn,
For to serche hire in many a regeouw,
Wherso his labour were fructuous or in veyn.
His fadir sette hym a fell condicioun,
Nat to retourne hi noon occasioun, —
And therupon maad hym to be bounde, —
Til that he hadde the kyngis douhter fouwde.
He took his shippis bi gret auysynesse, [p. 25]
And gan to saile be many a straunge se,
Dede his labour and his besynesse.
With many a worthi that were with hyw preue;
But whan that he off resoun dede see,
Ther was no mene for which that he was sent,
For tacomplisshe the fyn off his entent,
With glad[e] herte, deuoid off al gruchyng,
Seyng the cas froward and contraire.
Humble off [his] cheer[e] took his exilyng.
1856
i860
1864
1872
1876
1880
1892
1861. Ferre be south] For be south B, For be sothe R, for to
be South P, For to be sought R 3.
1868. founde] foundyn B, founden R, H.
1871. Gan] Can R. 1873. berauht H. 1874. And recur R 3.
1877. recure] espien H. 1878. a] om. H.
BK. l]
Cadmus consults Apollo
53
And off manhod list nat hymsilff dispaire,
But with his meyne knyhtli gan repaire
Toward Grece, & proudli ther to londe, 1896
OflF Appollo for to vndirstonde,
To what parti that he myhte drawe.
He praied the god to wissyn hym & reede,
Sum tokne shewe or sum maner lawe, 1900
Onto what ile that he myhte hym speede;
Or that he wolde graciously hym leede
Where-as he myhte bilden a cite,
That were accordyng for hym & his meyne. 1904
And to Appollo he dede sacrefise,
And maad to hym his oblacioun,
The god requeryng goodli to deuise,
To what lond or to what regeoun 1908
For his duellyng and habitacioun
He sholde drawe, withoute mor obstacle.
For hym and hise to make his habitacle.
And Cadmus thus tofForn Appollo stood, 191a
Knelyng a-mong with ful gret reuerence.
And in the temple off Delphos stille a-rbod.
With humble attendaunce & deuout dilligence
Meekli besekyng,* bi woord or sum* sentence, 1916
That Appollo to hym wolde onclose,
To what parti he sholde hymsilff dispose.
This was his answere in conclusioun.
As the statue to hym dede expresse: 1920
To goon and serche contrees enviroun.
And til he fond, doon his besynesse,
A bole that were excellyng of faimesse.
Which, bi precept off Appollos lawe, 1924
Hadde neuer afforn in no yok Idrawe.
And where that euer sekyng that he fond
A bole stonde stille in his pasture,
Appollo bad vpon the same lond, 1928
Where-as he sauh this sihte off auenture.
That he sholde doon his besi cure
To bilde a cite, he and his folkis all.
And Boecia, afftir the bole, it call. 193a
1899. &] or H. 1916. besek>Tig] abid>Tig B, R, H — sum]
bi sum B, R, J. 1917. enclose] enclose R.
1920. As] And R. 1926. ist that] om. H.
and asked
Apollo to
tell him
where
he and his
people should
dwell.
Apollo told
Cadmus to
learch for a
bull that
had never
drawn in
yoke.
and, where
he found
him, to
build a city.
54
Cadmus builds Thebes
[bk. I
which he did, And whan that Cadmus the precept vndirstood,
And in serchyng dede his besynesse,
He fond a place where-as a bole stood
Fedyng hymselff, which as bi liklynesse 1936
Was a place ful plesant off largesse,
Wher-as he stynte and gan a cite reise,
Which that poetis gretli comende & preise.
And that his bildyng myhte the more auaile, 1940
AUe tho foreyns that dede a-boute hym duelle,
Ful lik a knyht, be force and be bataile
Out ofF that cuntre he dede hem expelle,
Reisyng a cite which that dede excelle, 1944
And as Guide recordeth eek the same,
Into this day off Thebes berith the name.
and named
it Thebes.
Cadmus was
a great and
wise man
And he was nat onli glorefied
For reryng up off this grete cite.
But he was also gretli magnefied
For his manhod and magnanymyte,
And most comendid, yiff ye list to see,
For the surmountyng famous excellence
Which that he hadde in wisdam & science.
1948
1952
and invented
laws and an
alphabet.
He married
Hermione
at about the
time of the
death of
Joshua,
For as myn auctour list off hym endite,
Thoruh his noble prudent purueiance
He tauhte figures & lettris for to write, 1956
And made lawes off ful gret ordynance
A-mong the Grekis, and sette gouernance
Ther vicious liff bi vertu to restreyne;
And who outraied was punshid with the peyne. i960
And off entent tencrecen his lynage.
And his cite also to multeplie.
He took a wiff, that was but yong off age,
And she was callid, as bookis specefie, 1964
Hermyone; and touchyng hit allie,
Thouh that she were born off roial blood,
She was also bothe inly fair and good.
And this was doon, as writith myn
auctour, [p. 26] 1968
Afftir the deth of worthi losue,
Gothonyel beyng his successour,
1934. serchyng] sechyng H.
1941. tho] \)e J, the R 3, H 5.
BK. l]
Cadmus; bis four DaugbUrs
55
Hauyng the ledyng and the souereynte
OflF Israel whan Thebes the cite 1972
Was foundid first in tho daies olde
Bi kjmg Cadmus, tofforn as I you tolde.
Foure douhtren he hadde be his lyue,
Ful faire echon and goodli on to see; 1976
And ther names to rehersen blyue,
Semele was eldest, and next Authonoe,
The thridde in ordre was callid Ynoe,
And Agaue was yongest off hem all, 1980
OfFwhich[e] douhtres thus [it] is be-fall:
Thei were echon off port & off maneer
Ful weel fauoured in euery manys siht,
Riht womanli and heuenli of ther cheer; 1984
And for ther beute, ther fadir anoon riht,
As it was sittyng, with al his ful[le] myht,
Lik ther estatis, ther berthe & eek ther age,
Maad hem be weddid & ioyned in manage 1988
To worthi pryncis, his lynage to auaunce.
And thei encreced bi procreacioun,
WherofF the kyng hadde ful gret plesaunce
And gret reioishyng in his opynyoun 1992
To seen his lyne bi generacioun,
With his nevewes & cosyns off allie.
Fro day to day so wexe and multeplie.
And this encreced his felicite.
Whan he considred verrali in deede
The riche bildyng off his roial cite,
And how Fortune dede his bridil leede
To gret richesse, in bookis as I reede,
To gret noblesse, hauyng residence
In his cite off most magnyficence.
His doubter Semele, record off myn auctour,
Thouh she descendid were off the blood roiall,
To lubiter she was paramour,
And bi his power aboue celestiall.
She conceyued in especiall.
As poetis list off hire tendite, 2008
Hym that is god off grapis rede & white,
1971. 2nd the] om. R. 1973. foundid] founden R.
198 1, it] om. R.
2000. the t in gret stuck in scribe's pen H.
and had four
daughten.
who were
very beautiful
and became
the wives of
worthy
prince*.
1996 Cadmn*
proq>ered.
His daughter
Semele had
2004 a son,
Baochus, by
Jupiter,
56
but Juno in
her anger
caused Semele
to be burnt
up together
with her
palace.
Actaeon, son
of Autonog
and Aristaeus,
was devoured
by hounds.
Agave, the
youngest
sister.
murdered her
son Pentheus
because he
laughed at
the women
of Thebes
when they
sacrificed to
Bacchus.
Thus Cadmus
fell into
great trouble.
The Misfortunes of Cadmus* Family [bk. i
Callld Bachus, which hath the gouernaunce
Off wynis alle and the regalie.
WherofF afFtir ther fill ful gret vengaunce: 2012
[For] whan luno dede first espie
OfF lubiter the grete auoutrie,
Off gret hatrede and envious desir,
She made Semeles be brent with sodeyn fir, 2016
Bi descendyng off a sodeyn leuene,
Wherthoruh hir paleis was into asshes brent —
The vnwar strook cam douw fro [the] heuene,
And on Semeles the vengaunce is doun went; 2020
And or the flawme consumed was & spent,
Ther was off hir lefFt no remembraunce,
But oflp hir eende the woful mortal chaunce.
^ Eek Antheon, sone off Authonoe, 2024
To gret[e] myscheefF and infortune born,
Whos fadir was callid Eristee,
Come off the kynrede that I you tolde aflForn;
With cruel houwdis, alias, he was to-torn, 2028
For that he sauh, as bookis off hym tell,
Diane nakid bathe hire in a well.
And as poetis remembryn atte leste.
Whan the ladies off Thebes the cite 2032
Heeld off Bachus solempneli the feste,
The yongest suster, callid Agaue,
Doubter to Cadmus, — alias, it was pite! —
Ageyn Pantheus, hir* owyn sone deere, 2036
She wex so wood & mortal off hir cheere,
Moordryng hym in ful cruel wise.
In hir rage she was so furious:
For he louh[e] at the sacrefise 2040
In Thebes doon bi women to Bachus;
The which[e] sone was callid Pantheus,
Whom that she slouh with a ful sharp[e] dart.
In hir woodnesse, as she hym fond a-part. 2044
These grete myscheuys fellyn in the lyne
Off kyng Cadmus thoruh his onhappi chauwce;
Fortune his noblesse gan to vndirmyne.
2010. hath the] that hath R.
2013. For]oOT. H, R. 2018,19] om.J.
2019. 2nd the] om. H, R. P. 2030. in] at H.
2036. hir] his B, R — Pantheus] om. J.
BK. l]
Tbf Troubles of Cadmus
57
And thouhte she wolde his glory disauaunce. 2048
Al worldli gladnesse is medlid with greuaunce,
Experience in Cadmus ye may see.
So importable was his aduersite.
For whil he sat most hiest in his glory, [p. 27] 2052
No parti clipsed off his prosperite,
His briht renoun and his roial memory
In rewmis sprad and many ferr cuntre.
And he most welful in his kyngli see 2056
Sat with his lynage, most hih in his noblesse,
Than cam Fortune, the fals enchaunteresse,
Off wilfulnesse, and fond occasioun
A-geyn this Cadmus, & maad his renoun dulle, 2060
And off his kynrede, bi fals coUusioun,
She gan a-wey the brihtest fethres pulle;
And whan his shynyng was wexe up to the fulle,
Afftir the chaung off Fortunys lawe, 2064
His glory gan discrecen and withdrawe.
It was mor greuous to his dignite,
A sodeyn fall from his hih noblesse.
Than yiff that he neuer hadde be 2068
Set in thestat off [so] gret worthynesse;
For the furious mortal heuynesse
Off his kynreede, withoutyn any more,
Wolde haue greued a poore man ful sore. 2072
And a-mong his sorwes euerichon,
To reherse pleynli as it was,
I dar afferme how that there was oon.
Most horrible & dreedful in such cas; 2076
For Cadmus sone, callid Athamas,
His sone-in-lawe, thoruh fals malencolie
Fill sodenli into a frenesie.
Off whom the wiff was callid Ynoe, 20S0
Cadmus doubter, as ye ban herd expresse.
Which thoruh the constreynt off his infirmite,
In his rage and furious woodnesse
Thouhte that his wiff was a leonesse, 2084
And in his wilde ymagynaciouns,
That his too childre were also too leouns.
2052. his gIory3 hiest R. 2062. brihtest] briht H.
2069. thestatj the staat J, the state P — so] om. R.
2085. wilde] wood R — ymaginacion R.
Fortune, the
false
enchantress,
undermined
his prosperity.
It was the
more grievous
because of
his high
estate.
Hit greatest
sorrow was
caused by hi*
son-in-law,
Athamas,
who thought,
hit wife a
lioness and
his sons lions.
58
57?^ End of Cadmus
[bk. I
antJ ^w his And vpon hem ful loude he gan to crie,
Toward his wifF in haste he ran anon, 2088
And from hir armys, ther was no remedie,
The child he rente, and on a craggi ston
He gan* to brose it and breke it eueri bon.
The which[e] child, Bochas writith thus, 2092
Ful tendir and yong, was callid Learchus.
ino fled with And ofF this woful sodeyn auenture
son. OfF his rage, whan that [s]he took heed,
As most sorweful ofF any creature, 2096
Hir othir child she hente anoon for dreed;
For ofF socour she knew no betir speed.
So as she myhte gan haste out ofF his siht.
But wellaway, as she took hir to fliht, 2100
Hir husbonde cam afFtir pursuyng
Lich a wood leoun in his cruel te;
Doun from a mounteyn, which was dependyng,
She and hir child fill into the se. 2104
Was it nat routhe, was it nat pite,
A kyngis doubter, hir lord in Thebes crownyd.
He to be wood and she for feer so drownyd!
Thus the joy of Loo, hecr the fyn ofF Cadmus euerideel,
His childre slayn and his allies all.
And he hymsilfF[e] fro Fortunys wheel,
Whan he lest wende, ful sodenli is fall,
His litil sugir temprid with moch gall:
For a-mong[es] all his mortal peynes.
His liege-men, ofF Thebes citeseynes,
They fell
into the sea
and were
drowned.
2108
tempered
with sorrow.
Finally he
and hia
wife were
exiled
and died in
poverty.
Made ageyn hym a conspiracioun,
Put hym in exil and his wifF also,
His sonys, his douhtris brouht to destruccioun;
And to thencrecyng ofF his dedli wo.
He and his wifF compellid bothe too
For verray pouert and verray indigence
In ther last age to purchace ther dispence.
Thus [of] Cadmus the sorwes to descryue
And his myscheefF to putte in remembraunce.
He banshid was twies bi his lyue.
2116
2124
2089.
2091.
2095.
2109.
2122.
hir] ther R. 2090. craggi] cragge R.
He gan] Began B, R — brose] briste J, bris R 3, bruise P.
she] he H, R. 2096. As] Was H. 2109. children R.
all] om. R. 2120. verray] varrei R.
of] om. R.
BK. l]
An Envoy on Cadmus
59
First bi his fadris cruel ordynaunce
Off his suster to maken enqueraunce.
And althirlast in his vnweeldi age
He was compellid to holden his passage
Out off Thebes, his wifF and he allone,
In sorwe & wepyng taccompHssh up ther daies.
Into Illirie to-gidre thei be gone,
Ther pacience put at fell assaies,
Whos bittimesse felte noon allaies.
Eek off ther eende nor ther vnhappi fate.
Nor off ther deth I fynde noon other date,
SaufF that Guide maketh mencioun, [p. 28]
And John Bochas the poete excellent
Seith that the* brethre, Zeto & Amphioun,
Out off Thebes, bothe bi oon assent,
Haue* this Cadmus into exil sent,
His wifF also, afFtir ther hih noblesse.
To eende her lifF in sorwe and wrechidnesse.
But the goddis, ofF merci and pite,
Whan thei hem sauh bi Fortune so cast doun
From ther estatis into pouerte,
Hauyng ofF hem ful gret compassioun,
Thei made a-noon a transformacioun
OfF bothe tweyne, hem yeuyng the liknesse
OfF serpentis, to lyue in wildimesse.
2128
2132
2136 But Ovid
tayi that
the gods bad
mercy on
them and
transfonned
them into
2 140 seipcot*.
2144
2148
<[ Lenvoye.
OWHAT estat may hymsilfF assure
For to conserue his lifFin sekimesse?
What worldli ioie may heer long endure.
Or wher shal men now fynde stabilnesse,
Sithe kyngis, pryncis from ther hih noblesse —
Record ofF Cadmus — been sodenli brouht lowe
And from the wheel ofF Fortune ouerthrowe?
2156
Who may susteene the pitous auenture
Off this tragedie be writyng to expresse?
Is it nat lik onto the chaunteplure,
Gynnyng with ioie, eendyng in wrechidnesse? — 2160
Al worldli blisse is meynt with bittimesse,
2126. Inqueraunce H.
2138. the] thee B, thre H, R, two P.
2140. Haue] Hath B, han H, J. 2143. and] & off R.
What esute
may live in
security?
All woridly
happiness is
mingled with
sorrow,
6o
^etes. King of Colchos
[bk. I
therefore, O
Lords, be-
ware the
fate of those
whom
Fortune cast
from her
wheel.
JEtXts, king
of Colchos,
6on of Apollo,
The sodeyn chauwg no man therofF may knowe;
For who sit hiest is sonest ouerthrowe.
Was in this world yit neuer creature, 2164
Rekne up pryncis, for al ther hih noblesse
Fortune koude recleyme hem to hir lure
And emporisshe thoruh hir frowardnesse.
Wherfore, ye Lordis, for* al your gret richesse, 2168
Beth war afForn or ye dauwce on the rowe
Off such as Fortune hath from hir wheel throwe.
[A processe of Oetes kyng of Colchos, lason, Medee,
Theseus, Scilla Nisus, and other moo.] ^
WHAN lohn Bochas was most dilligent
To considre the successiouws
Off lynages, with all his hool entent,
In his writyng and descripciouns
To compile the generaciouns
Of many noble, famous off estat —
I meene off such as were infortunat, —
In his serchyng he fond nat a fewe
That were vnhappi founde in ther lyuyng;
To his presence a-noon ther gan hem* shewe
A multitude ful pitousli wepyng,
A-mongis which, ful doolfully pleynyng,
Cam first Oetes, and hath his cowpleynt gunne,
Kyng off Colchos and sone onto the sunne. 2184
For off Phebus, which is so briht & cleer,
Poetis write that he was sone and heir,
Because he was so myhti off poweer.
So fressh, so lusti, so manli [and] so feir; 2188
But off Fortune he fill in gret dispeir,
Cursyng his fate and his destyne.
Whan lason first entrid his cuntre,
Be Pelleus sent fro Thesalie, 2192
Ther for taccomplisshe be dilligent labour
The grete emprises thoruh his cheualrie,
2166. recleyme] recline R. 2168. for] with B, R, J, H 5.
2170. as Fortune] fortune as R — as] om. J — throwe] ou^r-
t)rowe J, H 5. 2180. hem] hym B, R, H 5, him J, them P.
2183. compleynt] playnte R.
2188. lusti manli and ri3t faier J, H 5 — and] om. H, R, R 3.
2191. lason] losan R.
1 MS. J. leaf 12 recto.
2172
2176
2180
BK. l]
Jason and Medea
6i
YifF God and Fortune list doon to hym fauour,
That he myhte wynnen the tresour:
This is to meene, that he were so bold
The ram tassaile which bar the Flees of Gold.
This said lason thoruh* counseil off Mede,
Bi sorcery and incantacioun
The boolis slouh, horrible for to see,
And venquysshid the venymous dragoun.
The k3'ng despoilid off his possessioun,
Accomplisshid with carectis & figures
Off Colchos the dreedful auentures.
And afFtirward, whan he his purpos hadde.
He lefFte Oetes in ful gret dispair,
And Medea foorth with hym he ladde
And hir brother, which was the kyngis hair.
But as I fynde, how in his repair,
Out off Colchos whan thei gan remue,
Kyng Oetes afftir hem gan sue.
Vpon lason auenged for to be,
Withoute tarieng, he folwid hem proudly;
The which[e] thyng whan lason dede see,
This Medea gan shape a remedy:
She took hir brothir & slouh hym cruely,
And hym dismembrid, as bookis make mynde,
And pecemeel in a feeld behynde
She gan hym caste, al bespreynt with
blood. [p. 29]
WherofF his fader whan he hadde a siht,
Ful pale off cheer, stille in the feeld he stood,
Whil she and lason took hem onto fliht —
I trowe that tyme the moste wo ful wiht
That was a-lyue, whan he dede knowe
His child dismembrid and abrood Isowe!
Which cause was, alias and wellaway!
That he so stynte, as man disconsolat,
Whil that lason fro Colchos went a-way.
And Medea, most infortunat.
Was ground and roote off this mortal debat:
2196
wa» de«poiled
of the Golden
2200 Fleece by
JasoD,
2204
who led
away hi*
daughter
„ Medea.
2208
Medea slew
her brother
2116
to itajr her
father*.
2224
2228
2195. to] om. R. 2197. is] om. R.
2199. This] The H — saide] om. J, H c
the B, H, R, R 3.
2204. carectis] carecters R3, charactes P.
thoruh] thoruh
62
Medecis Enchantments
Cbk. I
Her love of
Jason was
the cause of
it all.
Afterwards
Medea re-
stored iEson
to youth
and caused
the death of
Peiias, Jason's
uncle,
For who sauh euer or radde off such a-nothir, 2333
To saue a straunger list to slen hir brothir?
Forsook hir fader, hir contre & kynreede,
The lond enporished thoruh hir robberie;
Off hir worshep she took noon othir heed, 2236
Loue had hir brouht in such a fantasie.
And whil that she a-bood in Thesalie
And with lason dede ther soiourne,
She made Eson to youthe to retourne. 2240
A yerde she took, that was drie and old,
And in hir herbis and cowmixciouns*
She made it boile, in Guide it is told.
And bi carectis and incantaciouws, 2244
And with the crafFt off hir coniurisouws
The yerde be-gan [to] budde & blosme newe
And to here frut and leuys fresh off hewe.
And semblabli with hir confecciouws 2248
His olde humours she hath depurid cleene,
And with hir lusti fresh[e] pociouws
His empti skyn, tremblyng & riht leene.
Pale and wan, that no blood was seene, 2252
But as it were a dedli creature —
Al this hath she transfformyd bi nature.
Made hym lusti and fressh off his corage,
Glad off herte, liffli off cheer and siht, 2256
Riht weel hewed and cleer off his visage.
Wonder delyuer bothe off force & myht,
In all his membris as weeldi & as lyht
As euer he was, and in the same estat, 2260
Bi crafft off Mede he was so alterat.
Afftir al this, a-geyn kyng Pelleus
She gan maligne, vncle onto lason;
And off envie she procedith thus: 2264
The kyngis douhtren* she drow to hir anoon,
Hem counsailid that thei sholde goon
Onto ther fadir & pleynli to hym seyn,
Yiff he desirid to be yong a-geyn. 2268
2234
22
2nd hir] om. H. 2238. thatj] om. R.
42. in"] wi[) J — in commixciouns the 2nd c is formed like t in
B, H, J . 2244. carectis] charactes P. 2246. to] om. R, H.
2249. humours] humerus R. 2250. hir] his H.
2265. douhtren] douhter B, douhtir R, douhtren H, doughters
P, R 3, H 5 — drow] drawij) J.
BK. i\ The Treason of Medea 63
Ful restored his force to recure by promwing
And therwithal in lusti age floure, to make him
She behihte to doon hir besi cure L^b^diCT,
Lik his desir to helpyn and socoure, 227a
And in this mateer so crafft[i]li laboure,
Fynali stonde in the same caas
To be maad yong, lik as his brothir was.
Touchyng which thyng, for mor euydence 2276
This Medea hath to the douhtren told,
Off entent to yeue the mor credence,
She bad hem take a ram that wer riht old,
And with a knyff for to be so bold 2280
To sleen this beeste affom hem ther he stood,
And in a vessel drawe out his olde blood,
FuUi affermyng lik as it wer trewe, pertu»ding
That he sholde been a lamb a-geyn. 2284 "^
For she be crafft wolde his blood renewe
In such wise be euidence pleyn
That off elde no tokne shal be seyn —
In al his membris as lusti and enteer 2288
As was a lamb euyd off o yeer.
And therupon in ful sleihti wise
She gan a processe off ful fals tresoun.
The sustre made vpon this ram practise, 2292
Drouh out his blood lik her entenciouw;
And she bi crafft off fals illusiouw
Blent her eyen bi apperence in veyn
The olde ram to seeme a lamb a-geyn. 2296
Thus Medea be sleihte compassyng, to kfli their
Off envie and venymous hatreede,
Excitid hath the sustre in werkyng,
A-geyn ther fadir mortali to proceede. 2300
With sharp[e] knyuis thei made her fader bleede.
Mid the herte thoruhout euery veyne,
Supposyng, the celi sustren tweyne.
That Pelleus renewed sholde be [p. 30] 2304
To youthe a-geyn off force & off substauwce.
But fynali bi tresoun off Mede
2272. his] hir H. 2275. his] hir H. 2285. For] & H.
2289. euyd] yewide R 3, yened P, eyned J, H 5.
2299. sustre] sustren H, sustres H 5, susters P.
2300. to] om. H, R 3. 2305. youht geyn R.
father.
64
The Fate of Creusa
[bk. I
Medea
thought this
would please
Jason, but
it did not.
He left her
and went to
Corinth,
where he
married
Creusa,
whom Medea
burnt up
in revenge.
Jason wanted
to punish
her.
He lost* his lifF, such was his woful chaunce;
For she it wrouhte onli ofF vengauwce, 2308
As roote & ground off this cruel deede,
A-geyn the* nature off al * womanheede.
Supposyng in hir opynyoun,
How that the deth gretli sholde plese 2312
OfF Pelleus onto hir lord lasouw,
Thoruh gret encres sette his herte at ese;
But it rebounded into his disese,
That fynali lason hir forsook 2316
For hir offence, and he his weye took
Into Corynthe, toward the kyng Creon,
Whos douhter Creusa, for hir gret beute,
Was afFtirward iweddid to lason. 2320
But whan this weddyng was knowe to Mede,
Caste she wolde theron auengid be,
Gan to conspire off malis and envie,
And thoruh hir magik and [hir] sorcerie, 2324
In ful gret haste gan [for] to ordeyne
A litil cofFre, onli off entent;
And bi hir yonge faire sonys tweyne.
With othre iewelis, she hath the cofFre sent, 2328
Onto Creusa makyng a present.
Which ofF malis she list so dispose.
That whan Creusa the cofFre dede onclose,
The fir brast out a ful large space, 2332
Brent Creusa bi ful gret violence,
Set a-fire pleynli al the place
Benchauntement; ther* was no resistence —
Al wente affire that was in hir presence, 2336
Bi vengance dede ful gret damage.
But whan lason the fir sauh in his rage.
And considred the malis ofF Mede,
Thouhte he wolde doon execucioun 2340
For to punshe the gret iniquite
A-geyn[e]s hym compassid ofF tresoun;
For she ofF vengance, a-geyn[es] al resoun,
2307. lost] lefFte B, R. 2309. &] off R.
2310. the] om. B — al] al good B, R.
2312. that] at R. 2314. encres] ences R — at] in R.
2322. theron] om. R. 2324. hir] om. R, H.
2325. for] om. ], R. 2335. ther] pleynli ther B, R.
BK. l]
Medea marries King ^geus
6S
Afftir that Creusa consumed was & brent,
Hir owne sonys, which she hadde sent,
Withoute routhe or womanli pite,
She falsll moordred — the childre that she bar
Lik a stepmooder auenged for to be,
Cutte ther throtis or that thei wer war,
A-geyn nature, ther was noon othir spaar,
But for hatreede she hadde onto lason.
AflFtir this moordre she fledde hir way a-noon,
So escapyng his indignacioun.
Be crafft off magik she wente at liberte
To Athenys, and in that regioun
She weddid was onto the kyng Egee.
Nat longe aiFtir bi hym a sone had she.
The which[e] child, myn auctour tellith thus,
Afftir Medea caUid was Medus.
Afftir whos name the famous regioun
I-named was, which is caUid Meede.
But folwyng ay hir olde condicioun.
This Medea, void off shame & dreede,
Compassid hath off wilful fals hatreede.
That Theseus, the sone off kyng Egee,
With newe poisoun shal deuoured be.
But Theseus, ful lik a manli knyht.
In repairyng hom to his contre.
Off hih prudence espied a-noon ryht
The mortal vengance, the gret[e] cruelte
Off his stepmooder, which off enmite
Concludid* hath in hir entencioun
Hym to destroie onwarli with poisoun.
Hir herte off malis, cruel & horrible.
As she that was with tresoun euer allied,
Whan that she sauh hir purpos most odible
Be kyng Egeus fuUi was espied,
She hath hir herte & wittis newe applied.
As in ther bookis poetis han compiled,
A-geyn to lason to be reconsiled.
She fledde away for dreed off Theseus,
List he hadde doon on hir vengaunce.
And fynali, as writ Ouidius,
2352. hir way] away H. 2361. callid is J, called is P.
2372. Concludid] Concludyng B, R.
especially as
she murdered
her two son*
out of hatred
to him.
But the es-
caped to
Athens,
married
.(Egeus
2344
2348
2352
2356
2360
and tried to
poison her
stepson
, Theseus, who
2304 escaped.
2368
2372
2376 She then
went back
to Jason.
2380
66
Medea restored to Jason. Minos
[bk. I
Poets do not
tell how it
was that
they were
reconciled.
It must
have been
through
sorcery.
At any rate,
they restored
iEetes to his
throne.
Now I shall
turn to
Minos, son
of Jupiter
and Europa.
He was king
of Crete and
And moral Senec concludith in substaunce, 2384
In his tragedies makyng remembrauwce,
How Medea, lik as poetis seyn,
Onto lason restored was a-geyn.
Touchyng the eende off ther furious
discord, [p. 31] 2388
Poetis make therofF no menciouw
Nor telle no mene how thei fill at accord.
But yifF it were bi incantacioun,
Which so weel koude turne up-so-doun 2392
Sundry thyngis off loue & off hatreede.
And in Bochas off hir no mor I reede,
Sauff whan she hadde fulfiUid hir purpos,
Myn auctour tellith, that lason & Mede 2396
Resorted han a-geyn onto Colchos
Hir fadir Oetes, & from his pouerte
Brouht hym a-geyn into his roial see.
And to his crowne bi force thei hym restore: 2400
Touchyng his eende, off hym I fynde* no more.
Thus his fortune hath turnyd to and fro.
First lik a kyng hauyng ful gret richesse,
Afftir lyuyng in pouert and in wo, 2404
Sithen restorid to his worthynesse:
Thus ay is sorwe medlid with gladnesse.
Who can aduerte, in al worldli thyng,
Record off Mynos, the noble worthi kyng. 2408
TO whom I muste now my stile dresse,
Folwen the tracis off Bochacius,
The which[e] Mynos, as Ouide doth expr^sse,
Touchyng his birthe writ[eth] pleynli thus, 2412
That he was manli, wis and vertuous,
Sone bi discent off lubiter the grete.
And off Europa born to been heir in Crete.
Off his persone wonder delectable, 2416
Ful renommed off wisdam and science,
Bi dyuers titles off laude comendable
Off birthe, off blood, off knyhthod & prudence;
For bi his study and enteer dilligence 2420
He fond first lawes groundid on resouw,
Wherbi off Crete the grete regioun
2390. zt\ om. R. 2401. I fynde] fynde I B, R, J.
2412. wnteth] writ R. 2419. &]ofH.
BK. l]
Minos and ^een Pasipbae
67
Gouemyd was and set in stabilnesse.
Alle iniuries and wrongis to refourme,
Made statutis extorsiouns to represse,
Off rihtwisnesse thei took ther firste fourme,
And that ech man sholde hymselfF confourme
Lik ther degrees, subiect and souerayne.
That no man hadde no mater to complayne.
He made his liges to lyuen in quieete,
Cleer shynyng in his roial noblesse,
With suerd and sceptre sittyng in his seete;
And whil he floured in his worthynesse
He took a wifF off excellent faimesse,
Doubter to Phebus, in Bochas ye may see,
And she was callid faire Pasiphe.
And hir fadir, bi record off writyng,
In his tyme was holden ful famous;
Off thile off Rodis he was crownyd kyng,
And in his daies off port ful glorious,
Riht proud in armis and victorious,
Takyng witnesse Methamorphoseos.
His doubter hadde thre childre be Mynos,
The firste a sone callid Androgee,
And afftirward ful faire douhtren tweyne,
Riht womanli and goodli on to see;
But, as Fortune for hem dede ordeyne,
Thei felte her lyue gret trouble & [gret] peyne
Callid Adriana, and Phedra was the tothir,
Folwyng ther fate, it myhte be noon othir.
Androgeus bi kyng Mynos was sent,
For he sholde profityn in clergie,
To Athenys off vertuous entent
There to stodien in philosophie;
And for he gan tencrece & multeplie
And passe all othir bi studi in lernyng
And to excelle his felawes in cunnyng,
Thei off envie and fals malis, alias.
Made a-geyn hym a conspiracioun,
And from a pynacle sacrid to Pallas,
2425. represse] oppresse R. 2439. thile] the vile F
2441. riht victorious H. 2445. douhtre R.
2448. 2nd gret] om. R. 2449. that othir R.
2450. ther] the H. 2452. sholde] wold R.
goTcmed his
subjectt wdi.
2424
2428
His wife's
name was
2432 Pasiphae,
2436
2440
2444
2448
2452
2456
2460
by whom he
had three
children.
Their son
Androgeus
was mali-
ciously slain
in Athens,
68
Scylla and Nisus
[bk. I
for which
Minos took
revenge.
Nisus, king
of Megara,
helped the
Athenians,
but his
daughter
Scylla fell
in love with
Minos
and conspired
her father's
death.
Off ful gret heihte, made hym tumble doun.
For which iniurie, Bochas maketh menciouw,
His fadir Mynos auengid for to be,
Leide a gret power a-boute the cite. 2464
He caste hym fulH that no maw sholde hyw lette,
But that he wolde doon crueli vengaunce;
And round a-boute so sore he hem besette
With men off armys & with his ordynauwce, 2468
That fynali he brouht hem to vttrauwce,
And them constreynyd, withynne a Htil space,
Ther lifF, ther deth submyttyng to his grace.
But whil thei made ageyn hym resistence, [p. 3 2] 2472
Supposyng his power to withstonde,
Nisus, that was kyng off Megarence,
A-geyn Mynos ther parti took on honde:
And offte tymes, as ye shal vndirstonde, 2476
Whan kyng Mynos the cite dede assaile,
Nisus withynne, with myhti apparaile
Vpon the wal stood in his difFence —
Whan that Mynos, ful lik a manli knyht, 2480
Fauht withoute with sturdi violence,
Lich Mars hymsilfF in steel armyd briht.
WherofF whan Scilla onys hadde a siht,
Douhtir to Nisus, aduertyng his prowesse, 2484
A-noon for loue she fill in gret distresse.
She was supprisid with his hih noblesse;
His manli force, expert many-fold,
Set[te] Scilla in gret heuynesse: 2488
For loue off Mynos, off poetis it is told.
Made hir herte presumen and be bold,
First hir-silff to putte in iupartie,
Hir fadris lifF, the cite, the clergie. 2492
From hir herte loue hath set a-side,
A-geyn nature, hir blood & hir kynreede;
And al frenshipe from hire she gan deuyde,
And off hir worship took no maner heede: 2496
Loue maad hir cruel, a-geyn al womanheede,
First hir herte so sore sette affire,
Hir fadres deth falsli to conspire.
2469. vttraunce] variaunce R. 2471. Ther] The H.
2474. Magarence H. 2489. 2nd ofT] in H.
2491. iupartiej parti R.
BK. l]
Scyllas unnatural Cruelty
69
For kyng Mynos beyng a straunger
Was so enprentid in hir opynyoun,
Off creatures ther stood noon so neer;
And for his sake, bi ful fals tresoun.
She compassid the destruccioun
First off hir fadir and off the cite —
So straunge a thyng, alias, how myhte it be,
That a woman off yens yong and tendre
Koude ymagyne so merueilous a thyng!
But offte it fallith, that creatures sclendre,
Vnder a face off angelik lokyng,
Been verrai wolues outward in werkyng.
Eek vnder colour off ther port femynyne,
Suwme be founde verray serpentyne,
Lambis in shewyng, shadwid with meeknesse,
Cruel as tigres, who doth to hem offence,
Off humble cheer pretendyng a liknesse.
But, o alias! what harm doth apparence.
What damage doth countirfet innocence,
Viidir a mantil shrowdid off womanheed.
Whan feyned falsnesse doth ther bridil leed!
For this Scilla, the kyngis doubter deere.
In whom he sette hool his affeccioun,
His hertis ioie, his plesaunce most enteere.
His worldli blisse, his consolacioun, —
But she al turned to his confusioun,
Nat lich a doubter, but lik a sorceresse
His deth compassid, the story berth witnesse.
Hir fadir hadde a fatal her that shon
Brihtere than gold, in which he dede assure
Manli to fihte* a-geyn his mortal fon;
For on his hed[e] whil it dede endure.
He sholde venquysshe bi manhod, & recure,
And thoruh his knyhthod, to his encres off glor>'.
In euery quarell wynnen the victory.
But whil hir fadir kyng Nisus lay & sleep,
Vpon a nyht, parcel affor day,
Ful secreli, or that he took keep,
The her off gold this Scilla kit away;
And onto Mjmos, armyd wher he lay.
2500 a strange
thing for a
young
woman to
do.
2504
(but often
the most
2508 angelic ap-
pearing
creatures
2512
2516
are as cruel
as tigers).
2520
Like a
sorceress
2524
2528
2532
2536
she cut
away the
fatal hair
of gold from
Nisus' head.
2530.
2538.
fihte] fihten B.
kit] did H.
70
and, as Ovid
tells, took a
sharp knife
and killed
him.
Scylla slays her Father
[bk. I
She presented
her father's
head to
Minos
and declared
that her
love for him
had
constrained
her to do
this horrible
deed.
2540
2544
2552
2556
' 'Wherefore,
I pray, consider,
like a gentle
knight.
and accept '
my love.
She it presentid thoruh hir ordynaunce,
Off fals entent hym for to do plesaunce.
But in this mateer, lik as writ Guide,
Methamorphoseos, who-so taketh heed,
Hir fadir slepyng, she knelyng hi his side.
Took a sharp knyfF withoute feer or dreed,
Whil he lay nakid, she kai-fF a-too his hed,
Stal hir way[e] off ful fals entent.
And to kyng Mynos the hed she doth present. 2548
And in hir comyng onto his presence,
Hir fadris hed whan she afforn hym laide,
No-thyng a-shamed off hir gret offence.
Onto Mynos thus she dede abraide.
And with bold cheer[e] euene thus she saide:
"Mi lord," quod She, "with support off your grace,
Yeueth to my tale leiser tyme and space;
Certis, my lord, loue hath excitid me [p. 33]
And constreynyd to this cruel deede.
To slen my fader, destroien my cite,
Forgete my worshep, forsaken womanheede.
And maad me hardi to make my fader bleede — 2560
Thynges horrible thus I haue vndertake
For tacomplisshe onli for your sake.
Mi-silff disheritid for loue off your persone,
Callid in my contre a fals traitouresse,
Disconsolat stole a-wey a-lone.
Off newe diffamed, named a maistresse
Off fals moordre, I brynge a gret witnesse.
Mi fadres hed and his dedli visage,
A-geyn nature to forthren your viage.
Wherfore, I praie that ye list aduertise,
And considreth lich a gentil knyht
How I, for loue toward your gret emprise,
And to gret fortheryng also off your ryht,
Haue first my fader depryued off his myht,
Rafft hym his liff, dispoiled his richesse
To do plesaunce to your hih noblesse.
And no-thyng axe onto my guerdoun
Nor to my reward that myhte me auaile,
But that I myhte haue ful possessioun
2564
2568
2572
2576
2548. present] sent R.
2559. forsake R.
BK. ij
Minos* Ahborrence of the Deed
71
Off your p<rrsone, most worthi in bataile;
For ther is no tresor that myhte countiruaile
To my desir, as that ye wolde in deede
Goodli accepte me and my maidenheede.
Ye may me saue & spille with a woord.
Make most glad and most dolerous;
I nat requere ofF you, my souereyn lord,
But that ye wolde be to me gracious:
For blood and kyn, and my fad res hous
Al lefFt behynde, yiiF ye list aduerte,
And vndepartid youe to you myn herte.
Which to your hihnesse auhte inouh suffise,
All thynge considred, in your roial estat,
Conceyued also in how vnkouth wise
For your loue I stonde desolat,
Sauff off your mercy fulli disconsolat.
Heere is al and sum, your loue I beie to sore,
But ye do grace; I can sey you no more."
And whan she hadde hir tale told knelyng,
With a maner pretense ofF womanheed,
OfF al hir tresoun a poynt nat concelyng,
The kyng astonyd off hir horrible deed,
Bi gret auys peised and took heed,
It was not sittyng to prynce nor to no kyng
To do fauour to so froward a thyng.
With troublid herte and with a face pale,
His look vpcast, [he] seide, "God forbeede.
That euer in cronycle, in story or in tale,
That any man sholde off Mynos reede,
How he supported so venymous a deede —
Fauoure a woman, alias and wellaway!
Which slouh hir fader whan he a-bedde lay.
But for your hatful and vnkyndli rage,
I pray the goddis echon and Satume
To take vengaunce on your fals outrage:
For euery-wher, wher ye do retume.
And eueri place wher-as ye soioume,
2585. dolorous H.
2589. Al] And R.
*S93- Conceyued] And conceyve H.
2603. no] om. H.
2606. he] om. R, J, P, H s.
2608. That] Tat R.
2580
2584
2588
2592
2596
2600
" I have left
all behind
for your
take."
\Imos was
horrified.
2604
2608
Said he,
"God forbid
that Minos
should ever
countenance
tudi a deed.
2612 "May the
gods take
vengeance
on you!
2616
72
" Begone from
my court!
"May Tellus
and Neptune
refuse you
an abiding-
place!"
The gods
turned
Scylla into
a quail
and her
father into
a sparrow-
hawk. That
was their
end.
The End of Nisus and Scylla []bk. i
Lond and se, shortli to expresse,
Thei been infect with your cursidnesse.
Your owne mouth your outrage doth accuse;
And your accus is so abhomynable, 2620
That your gifFtis I fulli do refuse, —
Thei be so froward and repreuable.
And your persone, disnaturel & vnstable,
Withynne my court, it were a thyng nat fayr, 2624
That ye sholde a-bide or haue repair.
Ye be so hatful vpon eueri side
And contrarious off condiciouw,
I praie Tellus, which off the erthe is guide, 2628
And to Neptunus I make this orisoun:
As ferr as strecchith ther domynacioun
Vnder the bouwdis off ther regalie,
A duellyng-place that thei to you denye!" 2632
Whan Mynos hadde his answer thus deuised.
On resoun grouwdid and on equite,
And Scilla sauh how she was despised.
Knew no parti, passage nor contre 2636
To fynde socour whedir she myhte fle.
But disespeired as a traitouresse.
Toward the se a-noon she gan hir dresse
Tentre the water pleynli yiff she myhte, [p. 34] 2640
For verrai shame hirseluen for to shrowde;
And whan the goddis theroff hadde a syhte,
Thei turned hire, as thei that myhte & kowde,
In-ta quaile for to synge lowde. 2644
Hir fader Nisus thei dede also transmue
In ta sperhauk, the quaile to pursue.
This was the eende off Nisus & off Scille.
And afftirvf ard off Athenes the toun 2648
Was yolden vp to stonden at the wille
Off kyng Mynos, withoute condicioun;
Euery thre yeer bi reuoluciouw
Thei off the cite sholde nat dellaie 2652
Nyne off ther childre for a tribut paie.
2640. The second hand begins here R.
2643. that] om. R.
2645. transmuel remewe R.
2646. sperhaukjsparow R, sparhawke H.
2647. 2nd oflQ om. R.
2651. thre] om. R.
BK. l]
Tbg Minotaur
73
This was bi Mynos thymposicloun
Vpon Athenys; and off verrai dreed
Thei obeied, as maad is mencioun, 2656
And ther childre yeer bi yeer thei leed
Into Crete the Mynotaur to feed,
Onto this monstre ordeyned for repast,
Which at ther comyng deuoured wer in hast. 2660
But or that I ferthere do proceede
In this mater, I will do my cure
To declare, yiff ye list take heede.
Off this monstre to telle the engendrure,* 2664
Vnkouth to heere and a-geyn nature;
For bi the writyng off Ouidius,
This ougli beeste was engendrid thus,
Methamorphoseos, the maner ye may see: 2668
Mynos hadde a bole off gret faimesse,
Whit as mylk; and the queen Pasiphe
Loued hym so bote, the story berth witnesse,
And Dedalus dede his besynesse 267a
[|Bi sotil craft, & made his gynnys so.
That ayenst kynde with hir he had to do.
And conceyued a beest[e] monstruous.
That was departid, halfe bole, half man; 2676
And as the poete bi wrytyng techith vs.
Off Mynotaurus thus the name began.
And Dedalus, not long aftir whan]
That this monstre was bi the queen forth
brouht, 26S0
This subtil werkman hath an hous Iwrouht
Callid Laboryntus,* dyuers and vnkouth,
Ful off wrynkles and off straungenesse,
Ougli to knowe which is north or* south, 2684
Or to what part a man sholde hym dresse;
Folk were ther blent with furious derknesse.
Who that entred, his retourn was in veyn,
Withoute a clue for to resorte a-geyn. 2688
2654. bi] of H, R 3. 2657. children R.
2658. M>Tiatour R. 2659. this] the R. 2662. will] woId^R.
2664. telle the engendi-ure] tellen thengendrure B, H.
2670. Posiphee R. 2673-9 a*"' supplied from R, om. in B, H.
2676. halfe a bull P. 2677. bi] om. P.
2678. Mynataurus J, Mynotouris H. 2682. Lobor>-ntus B.
2684. or] & B.
Minos,
vjctorioui
over the
Athenians,
compelled
them to
scad 9 chil-
dren every
3 years to
the Minotaur
The Minotaur
was the off-
spring of
Pasiphae and
a white bull.
The bull
lived in
the Labyrinth
made by
Daedalus,
74
a place like
a prison,
where it
devoured
human flesh.
Some books,
however, say
that Pasiphae
had a child by
Taurus, a
secretary, —
which would
explain the
matter of
the bull.
Wives are a
bad lot, but
we do not
discard a
falcon for
one fault.
To return to
the Athenians,
they paid
their tribute;
Wives are a Bad Lot [bk. i
Off Mynotaurus this was the habltacle,
Lik a prisoun maad for tormentrie,
For dampnyd folk a peynful tabernacle;
For all that lay ther in iupartie, 2692
The monstre muste deuoure hem & defie:
And speciali was ordeyned this torment
For all that wern doun from Athenys sent.
But in this mater suwme bookis varie, 2696
And afFerme how queen Pasiphe
Off kyng Mynos loued a secretarie
Callid Taurus, in Bochas ye may see;
And thus the kyng, for al his rialte, 2700
Deceyued was, for who may any while
HymsilfF preserue wher women list begile?
For bi this Taurus, Bochas berth witnesse,
Queen Pasiphe hadde a child ful fair, 2704
Mynos nat knowyng bi no liklynesse
But that the child was born to been his hair.
His trust was good, he fill in no dispair;
For some husbondis, as poetis han compiled, 2708
Which most assure [hem] rathest been begiled.
Innocentis can nat deeme a-mysse,
Namli ofFwyues that be fouwde trewe;
Clerkis may write, but doutles thus it isse, 2712
Off ther nature thei loue no thynges newe:
Stedfast off herte, thei chaunge nat her hewe;
Hawkes best preued, suwwhile a chek can make,
Yit for o faute the foul is nat forsake. 2716
Off these materes write I will no more.
But ay the tribut & seruage off the town
Procedith foorth, thei cowstreyned wer so sore,
Lich as ther lott turned up and doun; 2720
For ther was maad[e] non excepcioun
Off hih nor louh, nothir for sour nor swete,
But as it fill, thei were sent into Crete.
2695. from Atthenes doun sent R.
2696. bookis] folk R. 2697. Posiphe R.
2704. Posiphe R. 2705. liklynesse] liknesse R.
2706. that at R.
2709. hem] om. J, R. 2715. sumwhlle] sume tyme R —
can] gan R.
2716. o] a R — fouyl R.
2717. these materes] this mateer R — will I R.
2719. wer constreynyd R. 2721. made was R.
BK. l3
The Adventures of Theseus
75
2724
2728
The* statut was so inli rigerous,
Thei took ther sort as it cam a-boute,
Til atte laste it fill on Theseus,
That he mut gon foorth a-mong the route,
Kyng Eges sone, beyng in gret doute
Touchyng his liiF, which myht nat be socoured,
But that he muste with othre be deuoured.
Which Theseus, for his worthynesse, [p, 35]
And off his knyhthod for the gret encres 2732
Thoruh manly force, & for his hih prowesse
Whilom was callid the seconde Hercules,
Mong Amazones put hymselfF in pres,
Weddid Ypolita, as bookis specefie.
The hardi queen [callid] off Femynye.
And afftirward to Thebes he is gon,
Halp there the ladies in especiall,
Which that cowpleyned vpon the kyng Creon,
Which hem destourbed, lik ther estat roiall
To holde and halwe the festis funerall
Off ther lordis, as queenys & pryncessis,
Off wifli trouthe to shewe ther kyndenessis.
For whan this Duk the maner hadde seyn,
And off Creon the grete iniquite,
To the ladies he made delyuere a-geyn
Ther lordis bonys, off routhe & off pite.
Yit in his youthe out off his cite
He was delyuered, bi statut ful odible.
To be deuoured off this beeste horrible.
He goth to prisoun, for al his semlynesse.
As the statut felli dede ordeyne;
But off routhe and off gentilesse,
Hym to preserue from that dedli peyne.
Off kyng Mynos the goodli douhtren tweyne,
Adriane shoop off a remedie,
And faire Phedra, that he shal nat die.
Thoruh ther helpe he hath the monstre slayn.
That was so dreedful & ougli for to see;
Bi hem he scapid, wheroff he was ful fayn.
and Theieu*.
3736
2740
2744
2748
2752
2756
who
afterward!
married
Hippolyte,
queen of the
Amazon*,
and helped
the ladies of
Thebc*
against the
tyranny of
Creon,
was
sent to
Minos,
whose
daughters re-
solved to
save him
from the
Minotaur,
which he slew.
^ He falscljr de-
2700 scrted
Ariadne for
Ph«dra,
2724. The] Ther B.
2735. Among Amozones he put R. 2736. Ipolito R.
2741. disturblid R. 2748. Ther] The R. 2757. ofr>m R.
2758. shal] shuld R. 2760. so] om. R. 2761. wheroflT] wherfor R.
76
Theseus forsakes Ariadne for Phadra
[bk.
and Ariadne
became the
wife of
Bacchus.
Unlike men,
women are
constant, un-
less their
husbands be-
have badly
to them.
Fortune was
unkind to
Minos:
Pasiphae com-
mitted
adultery
(husbands
should bear
such things
in patience),
his daughters
ran away,
the Minotaur
was killed,
Theseus es-
caped, Athens
was freed from
its tribute, and
Theseus for-
sook Ariadne
and married
Phaedra.
Lad hem with hym, toward his centre.
And hi the weie, deuoid off al pite,
Adriane he falsli hath forsake 2764
A-geyn his surance, & Phedra he hath take.
Amyd the se [he] lefFt hir in an ile,
Toward no parti she knew no declyn;
She crieth, wepith, alias, the harde while! 2768
For off hir fate this was the mortal fyn,
That for pite Bachus, the god off wyn,
Took hir to wyue, whos crowne of stonys fyne
Doth now in heuene with the sterris shyne. 2772
Thus off Theseus ye may beholde and see
To Adryane the gret onstedfastnesse,
The grete ontrouthe, the mutabilite.
The broke assurance and newfangilnesse; 2776
But celi women keepe ther stedfastnesse
Ay ondefouled, sauff, sumwhile off ther kynde,
Thei must hew purueie, whan men be* founde
onkynde.
Off Theseus I can no more now seyn 2780
In this mater to make off hym memorie,
But to kyng Mynos I will resorte a-geyn
To tell how Fortune, ay fals & transitorie,
In what poyntis diffacid hath his glorie. 2784
First off echon Bochas doth specefie
Off Pasiphe the foule aduout[e]rie,
Which was his wiff, and stood weel in his grace,
To his plesance she was most souerayne; 2788
But a cloude off [a] smal trespace
Made hir lord at hir to disdeyne:
But he off wisdam bar preuyli his peyne,
For in this cas, this is my sentence, 2792
Lat prudent husbondis take hem to pacience.
On* other thyngis Mynos gan compleyne,
Hauyng in herte theroff ful gret greuaunce,
That he so loste his faire douhtren tweyne, 2796
2764. full falsly he hath R. 2765. AyensteR — assuraunce R.
2766. Amyd] In myddis R, J, H J — he] om. H.
2768. She wepith she crieth R. 2772. the] ix. R.
2776. and] & the R. 2778. Ay] But euirre R — sumwhile]
sum tyme R. 2779. be] been B — founde] om. H.
2781. In]ofH. 2783. ay]eu/rreR. 2786. Posiphe R,
H s, Pasipha P. 2789. 2nd a] om. R, H, R 3, P.
2792. in this] such R. 2793. hem] hede R.
2794. On] And on B, H — Mynos] om. H — gan] gan also R, J.
BK. l]
Pbadra and Hippolytus
77
And Mynotaurus slay[e]n with myschaunce.
Eek onto hym it was a gret penaunce
That Theseus was gon at liberte,
And from al tribut delyuered his cite.
It greued hym eek in contenance & cheer.
That Theseus Adriane forsook,
It hked hym nat also the maneer
Onto his wiff that he Phedra took;
And yit this Phedra, lich as seith my book,
Hadde too sonys bi this Theseus,
First Demephon & next Anthilocus.
Eek Theseus afftir gan hym drawe
Toward Cecile, in steel armyd cleene,
With Pirotheus, in armys his felawe.
For to rauysshe Proserpyna the queene.
But off entent Phedra ful oncleene,
Loued hir stepsone callid Ypolitus.
But for he was to hire daungerous.
And to hir lust froward and contrarie,
In his apport nat goodli nor benigne,
Off fals entent anon she gan to varie.
And a-geyn hym ful felli to maligne,
With a pretence off many tokne & signe
Off womanhed, she gan hym accuse.
Hire auoutry falsli to excuse.
Who seith that women can nat ymagyne
In ther diffence talis ful vntrewe.
To ther desir yiff men list nat enclyne
Nor on ther feyned fals[e] wo to rewe,
Anon thei can compasse[n] thynges newe,
Fisshe and fynde out in ther entencioun
A couert cloude to shadwe ther tresoun.
She hath accusid yonge Ypolitus
Off fals auoutri in his tendre age,
Tolde & affermed to duk Theseus,
With ful bold cheer[e] & a pleyn visage.
How he purposed in his furious rage
2800
2804
2808
2S12
[p. 36]
2816
2820
2824
2828
2832
2798, 2801, 2808. Eek] Also R, 2803. nat] nouth R.
2804. he] sche R. 2807. Demophan R.
2816. nor] ne R. 2818. ayens his R. 2819. many a H.
2823. ful] om. R.
2825. Nor] Neithir R — fals feyned R. 2826. compassh R.
2832. a] om. R.
Theseuj then
went to Sicfly,
and Phxdra
fell in love
with her
step-«on
Hippolytus.
■When he
repulsed her,
she turned
on him
(women are
well able to
lie in_ their
own interest)
and accused
him to
Theseus of
improper con-
duct toward
her.
78
The Death of Hippolytus
[bk. I
(Women are
sometimes
very un-
truthful;
of course I
don't mean
good and in-
nocent ones,
but there
are very few
of that sort.)
Hippolytus
was frightened
and fled.
His horses
ran away
and he and his
chariot were
overwhelmed
by a landslide;
and Phaedra,
fearing the
vengeance
of Theseus,
slew herself.
Onli bi force hir beute to oppresse,
HIr lord besechyng to refourme & redresse
The grete iniurie doon onto his wifF 2836
Whil he was absent for thyngis that bar charge.
Wyues off talis been sumwhile inuentifF
To sufFre ther tunges falsli fleen at large;
But folk that list off dauwger hem discharge, 2840
Off such accusyng ne take thei noon heed
Til the trouthe be tried out in deed.
I meene nothyng off wyues that been goode,
Nor off women that floure in innocence; 2844
For God forbeede, and the Hooli Roode,
But men sholde do deu reuerence
To ther noblesse and ther excellence,
Declare ther bounte and ther vertu shewe, 2848
And more them cherisshe be-cause ther be so fewe.
Touchyng thaccusyng ageyn Ypolitus,
Thouh it so were that it was fals in deede,
Yit he for shame and* feer off Theseus, 2852
As in the story ye may beholde and reede,
In his herte he cauhte a maner dreede.
That he, alias! this cely yonge knyht,
Fledde & withdrouh hym out off his fadris siht, 2856
His indignaciouw pleynli to eschewe,
Thouh bi desert in hym ther was no lak.
Off hasti dreed as he gan remewe
Other in a chaar or vpon hors[e]bak, 2860
His hors affraied, ther fill a sodeyn wrak
DouM from a roche pendant, as ye shal lere —
He and his chaar wer drownyd bothe Ifeere.
Thus ongilti, in his most lusti youthe 2864
He was conueied to his destrucciouw;
The sclandre conspired, as it is weel kouthe,
Bi fals[e] Phedra: but in conclusioun
The sclandre turned to hir confusioun; 2868
For whan she wiste Ypolitus was ded
Thoruh hir defaute, anon for shame & dreed
2834. oppresse]] presse R. 2835. redresse] dresse R.
2836. iniurie] iniquyte R — onto] to R.
2838. suTwtyme been R.
2840. folkis R — daunger] damage R.
2850. thaccusyng] this accusyng R.
2851. 2nd it] he R — was] wer H. 2852. and] and for B.
BK. i}
Pbadras End. Sis era
She took a* swerd, ful sharpfe] whet & grounde,
And therwithall she roofF hir herte on tweyne. 2872
Loo, how that vengaunce will euer* a-geyn rebounde
On hem that falsli doon ther bisi peyne
To sclandre folk; for lik as thei ordeyne
With ther defautis othir folkis tattwite,
God atte laste ther malice can acquite!
Yit summe bookis off Phedra do recorde
That she, a-shamyd & confus off this deede,
Heeng hirsilff up ful hih[e] with a corde.
Loo, how fals sclandre can quite folk ther meede!
Wherfore, I counseile eueri man tak heede.
In such materis as stonde in noun certeyn,
From hasti doomys his tunge to restreyn. 2884
2876
28S0
79
Such things
happen to
people who
sunder other*.
And it woold
also be well
for men not
to draw
hasty con-
clusions, as
Theseus seems
to have done.
AMONG these stories woful for to reede,
Al bespreynt with teris in his face,
Ful sodenli, lohn Mochas gan take* heede,
A-myd the pres Zizara cam in place — 2888
And how that Fortune gan eek to manace
This proude duk, ful myhti & notable.
Off kyng labyn callid the grete constable.
Off his boost ledere and gouemour.
To Israel verray mortall fo;
With peeple he rood lich a conquerour.
And wher that euer his meyne dede go.
The erthe quook, peeplis drad hym so, 2896
Fledde from his face wher-as he caw a-ferre.
Nyne hundred waynes he hadde for the werre,
Strongli enarmedwith hookesmadelyk*sithes, [p. 37]
Whothatapprochedtomayme*hym &towounde. 2900
For this tirant off custum offte sithes
2871. a] his B, hir H — sherp I whet & groun R.
2872. roofF] raff R — on twejTie] atwevne R.
2873. that] om. H — euer] ay B, H, R 3, om. P.
2876. defautis] diffamys — to atwjte R.
2877. malice] mateer« H — can] gan R.
2880. ful] wol H. 2881. folk qu\-te for ^ mede R.
2884. hasti] om. H — hasti doomvs] his hasty language R.
2887. take] taken B. J- b s
2888. A-mvd] In middes R — in] to R.
2889. eek] also R. 2896. peple R.
2899. made lyk] & with B, H.
2900. mayrae] mayne B, H, H 5 — hym] cm. R, J.
Sisera,
Jabin's
general.
2892 njortal ioc
to the Jews,
8o
The Jews are ruled by Deborah
[bk. I
was suffered
by God to
chastise their
sins.
But when
they repented,
God sent
Deborah in
their defence,
who became
their leader
and judge.
Hadde gret delit the lewes to confounde;
And alle tho that his swerd hath fouwde,
Kyng labyn bad, the prynce ofF Canaan, 2904
In Israel to spare child nor man.
This Zizara was sent to been ther scourge,
Bi Goddis suffrance ther synnes to chastise,
Ther olde offences to punshen & to pourge, 2908
As a flagelle, in many sundry wise;
But whan off resoun thei gan hem bet deuyse,
And for ther trespacis to falle in repentaunce,
God gan withdrawe the hand off his vengaunce. 2912
For in ther myscheef thei gan the * Lord to knowe,
Felyng the prikke off his punyciouw;
And mercy thanne hath vnbent the bowe
Off his fell ire and castigacioun: 2916
To God thei made ther inuocacioun,
And he hem herde in ther mortal dreede.
In ludicuw the story ye may reede,
How in the while that this Zizara
Shoop hym off newe lewes to oppresse.
In ther diffence God sent hem Delbora,
A prophetesse, the story berth witnesse.
To yeue hem counsail ther harmys to redresse,
And bi the sperit off hir prophecye
For to withstonde the grete tirannye
Off Zizara, which was descendid doun
With a gret boost into the feeld repeired.
But Delbora, of hih discrecioun,
Whan that she sauh the lewes disespeired,
And for to fihte ther corages sore appeired,
She made hem first deuoutli in ther dreed
To crie to God to helpe hem in ther need.
She ^as ther iuge and ther gouerneresse,
Cheeff off ther couwsail; & off custom she,
Causis dependyng, bi gret avisynesse,
That stood in doute, bi doom off equite
She tried hem out vnder a palme tre,
2920
2924
2928
2932
2936
2904. thei om. R. 2905. nor] ne J, R 3, H 5, P.
2910. betj bettirr R. 291 1, ther] the R.
2912. gan] can R. 2913. the] ther B, H,
2919. Marginal note in R: "No/a ludicum iiij Ca"."
2921. the lewis R.
2928. hoost] coste R. 2932. ther] \»at R. 2936. bi] of R.
BK. l]
Dehorab overcomes Sisera
8i
And was nat hasty* no mater to termyne
Til she the parties aflFor dede examyne. 2940
And whan she knew & herde off the komyng
Off Zizara with ful gret puissaunce,
That was constable off the myhti kyng
Callid labyn, with al his ordenaunce, 2944
Vpon lewes for to doon vengaunce,
This Delbora gan prudentli entende
The lewes parti hi wisdam to diffende.
She bad Barach, hir husbonde, anon riht i948
OflF Neptalym ten thousend with hym take,
Geyn Zizara to fihten for ther riht,
And that he sholde a gret enarme make.
But he for dreed this ioume gan forsake, 2952
And durste nat a-geyn hym tho werreye
But she were present, and list hym to conveye.
"Weel weel," quod she, "sithe it stondith so.
That off wantrust ye haue a maner dreed, 2956
I will my-silff[e] gladli with you go,
You to supporte in this grete need;
But tristith fulli, as ye shal fynde in deed.
That a woman, with laude, honour & glor>'^e, 2960
Shal fro you wynne the pris off this victorj^e."
It folwid afftir sothli as she saide.
Auysili she made hir ordynaunce,
And the cheeff charge on hirsilff she laide, 2964
As pr3mcesse off lewes gouemaunce.
And prudentli gan hirsilff auaunce,
With God conueied & support off his grace,
With Zizara to meetyn in the face. 2968
And specialli touchyng this viage,
God took a-way the sperit and the myht
Fro Zizara, his force and his corage,
That he was ferfull tentren into fyht, 2972
Kepte his chaar & took hym onto flyht,
Knowyng no place seurli in tabide.
Til that label, a woman, dede hym hide
2939. hasty] hardi B, hardy H.
2940. affome H. 2941. herd & knew R.
2948. Barish H.
2950. GejTi] Ajens R.
2956. That] Than H. 2972. feerdful R.
2973. onto] into R. 2975. lael R.
When the
heard that
Sisera had
come with
his army.
she bade
Barak, her
husband, lead
a host against
him. But a5
Barak was
afraid.
she herself
took com-
mand of hi]
forces.
Sisera fled
to the tent
of a woman
caUed Jael.
82
who
drove a nail
into his
head while
he slept.
The Death of the Tyrant Sis era
Cbk. I
Such is the
fate of
tyrants!
Let Sisera be
an example
to you. No
lordship en-
dures with-
out virtue.
Sisera's pride
was humbled,
when he stood
at the height
of his glory.
Withywne hir tente, almost ded for dreed, 2976
Vnder a mantell desirous for to drynke.
She gaiF hym mylk; the slep fill in his hed,
And whil that he for heuynesse gan wynke
And sadli slepte, she gan hir to be-thynke; 2980
Thouhte she wolde for Zizara so shape,
That with the lifF he shulde nat escape.
She took a nail that was sharp & long, [p. 38]
And couertli gan hirsilfF auauwce; 2984
With an hamer myhti, round & strong
She drofF the nail — loo, this was hir vengaunce! —
Thoruhout his hed : seeth heer Jje sodeyw chauwce
Off tirantis that trusten on Fortune, 2988
Which wil nat sufFre hem longe to cowtune
In ther fals vsurped tirannye
To holde peeplis in long subiecciouw.
She can hem blandissh* with hir flat[e]rye 2992
Vnder a colour off fals collusiouw,
And with a sodeyn transmutaciouw
Fortune hem can, that pore folkis trouble,
Reuerse ther pride with hir face double.
What sholde I lengere in this mater tarye.?
Thouh that lordshep be myhti & famous,
Lat Zizara been your exauwplarye.
It nat endureth but it be vertuous.
Conquest, victory, thouh thei be glorious.
Onto the world, yifF vertu be behynde.
Men nat reioise to haue ther name in mynde.
For Fortune thoruh hir frowardnesse
Hath kyngis put out off ther regiouws,
And she hath also thoruh hir doubilnesse
Destroied lynages, with ther successiouws:
Made she nat whilom hir translaciouws
Off the kyngdam callid Argyuois,
To be transportid to Lacedemonois.?
The same tyme whan Zizara the proude
Gan Goddis peeple to putte vnder foote,
Famys truwpe bleuh his name up loude
2996
3000
3004
3008
3012
2986. this was hir] heer H. 2988. OfF] On R.
2992. blandisshen B. 2995. folk R. 2996. hir] the R.
3008. whilom] sume tyme R. 3010. Lacidomonois R, J.
3013. Famys] Fame his R.
BK. 0
How Gideon defeated the Midianites
With sugred sownys semyng wonder soote;
But al his pride was rent up hi the roote,
Whan that his glori was outward most shewyng;3oi6
But who may truste on any worldli thyng!
83
FOLK han afFom seyn the fundacioun,
Bi remembraunce off old antiquite,
OfF myhti Troye and* ofF Ylioun,
Afftir destroied bi Grekis that cite.
To vs declaryng the mutabiHte
OiF fals Fortune, whos fauowr last no while,
Shewyng ay trewest whan she will begile.
So variable she is in hir delites,
Hir wheel vntrusti & frowardli meuyng,
Record I take off the Madianytes,
Ther vnwar fall ful doolfully pleynyng,
Which shewed hemsilff [ful] pitousli wepyng
To lohn Bocha/, as he in writyng souhte
How that Fortune a-geyn ther princis wrouhte,
Which that gouemed the lond off Madian,
Trustyng off pride in ther gret puissaunce;
And a-geyn lewes a werre thei be-gan,
Purposyng to brynge hem to vttraunce:
But God that holdeth off werre the balaunce.
And can off pryncis oppresse the veynglory,
Yeueth wher hym list conquest & victory,
Nat to gret nouwbre nor to gret multitude,
But to that parti where he seeth the riht;
His dreedful hand, shortli to conclude,
So halt up bi grace and yeueth liht*
The hiere hand, where he caste his siht;
List his power and his fauour shewe,
Be it to many or be it onto fewe.
The wrong[e] parti gladli hath a fall,
Thouh ther be mylliouns many mo than oon:
I take witnesse off leroboall.
Fortune's
favour dcei
not last
long.
3020
3024
3028
Think of the
Midianites,
who came
weeping to
Bochas.
3032
They begin
a war on
3036 -^tejews.
but God
gives victory
-„.- not to num-
3°40 bcrs but to
right.
3044
3048
3014. sugred] sacrid R.
3018. fimyacioun J. 3020. and] and eek B.
3024. ay trewest] euer trust R. 3030. writjTig] bokys H.
3039. nor] ne R.
3042. halt] holdith H 5 — So haldith vp his grace P — liht]
to eu^ry wiht B, H, euery wight P.
3046. in R: nofa Ca° vj & Ca° vij ludicuwi.
84
Gideon and the Midianites
Hbk. I
Gideon de-
feated the
Midianites
with 300 men.
Although he
was weak, in
numbers,
God gave
him victory.
They ter-
rified their
enemies by
blowing their
trumpets,
breaking
empty pots
and suddenly
shewing the
light of their
lamps.
Which is also callid Gedeon,
That with thre hundrid fauht a-geyn the foon
Off Israeli, the Bible can deuyse,
Whan he to God hadde doon his sacrefise.
Shewyng to hym a signe merueilous,
Whan the flees with siluer deuh ful sheene
Was spreynt and wet, the story tellith thus,
And round a-boute the soil and al the greene
Was founde drie, and no drope scene.
In tokne onli, this duk, this knyhtli man,
Shold ha[ue] victory off al Madian.
Thus Gedeon took with hym but a fewe,
Thre hundred chose, which laped* the ryuer,
God onto hym such toknys dede shewe
And euydencis afForn that wer ful cleer.
That he sholde been off riht good cheer
And on no parti his aduersaries dreede,
For no* prowesse nouthir* [for] manheede.
Where God a-boue holdith* chauwpartie.
There may a-geyn hym be makid no diffence;
Force, strengthe, wisdam nor cheualrie
A-geyns his myht ar feeble ofi^ resistence.
This was weel preued in experience.
Whan thre hundred with Gedeon in noumbre
So many thousandis bi grace dede encoumbre.
This said[e] peeple, deuyded into thre.
With ther trumpis, vpon the dirk[e] nyht,
Bi Gedeon, that hadde the souereynte.
With void[e] pottis & laumpis therynne lyht;
And thus arraied thei entred into fyht.
But onto hem this tokne was first knowe:
Whan Gedeon his truwpe dede blowe,
Thei bleuh echon & loude gan to crie,
Brak ther pottis and shewed anon riht,
As the story pleynli doth specefie.
3052
3056
3060
3064
[p. 39]
3068
3072
3076
3080
3050. thre]] iij B.
3061. laped] scaped B, P, H 5, scapid H, J, scapide R 3 —
which] with R. 3064.] om. R.
3066. For no] ne for noo R 3, — no] nouht B, noujt J, nought
H s — nouthir] nor B, neithir R, xxt\\>eT J, neyther P.
3067. holdith] halt B, H. 3069. nor] nethir R,
3070. ar] or R. 3075. trumpis] triumphis R.
3083. doth pleynly R.
BK. l]
The Envoy to Gideon
85
Ther laumpis shewed with a ful sodeyn liht,
Wheroff ther enmyes, astonyd in ther siht,
Were so troublid vpon euery side,
That in the feeld thei durst[e] nat a-bide.
The cri was this off hem euerichon :
"Thank to the Lord most noble & glorious,
Pris to the suerd off myhti Gedeon,
Which vs hath causid to be victorious,
Maad our enmyes, most malicious,
Thoruh influence onli off his grace,
For verray feer to fleen affom our face!"
Thus can the Lord off his magnyficence
The meeke exalte & the proude oppresse,
Lich as he fyndeth in hertis difference,
So off his power he can his domys dresse,
Merci ay meynt with his rihtwisnesse.
His iugementis with long delay differrid;
And or he punshe, pite is ay preferrid.
3084 ^^ hereupon the
Midianitet
fled.
3088
3092
5096
3100
Thus the
Lord can
eialt the
meek and
humble the
proud.
C| Lenvoye.
MIHTI Princis, remembre that your power
Is transitory & no while a-bidyng.
As this tragedie hath rehersid heer 3104
Bi euidencis ful notable in shewyng.
And bexaumples, in substaunce witnessyng.
That all tirantis, platli to termyne,
Mut from ther staat sodenli declyne. 3108
Phebus is fresshest in his mydday speer,
His bemys brihtest & hattest out spredyng;
But cloudi skies ful offte approche neer
Teclipse his liht with ther vnwar comyng: 3112
Noon ertheli ioie is longe heer abidyng,
Record off Titan, which stound[e]meel doth shyne,
Yit toward nyht his stremys doun declyne.
Whan that Fortune is fairest off hir cheer 3 116
Bi apparence, and most blandisshyng,
Thanne is [she] falsest ech sesouw off the yeer,
Hir sodeyn chauwgis now vp now doun turnyng;
The nyhtyngale in May doth fresshli syng, 3120
3089. Thank] than H.
3109. Phebus is fresshest] Phebtt/ shen freish R.
3 1 10. out spredyng] out shewyng R. 3 119. chaunge R.
Princes, re-
member, your
power is not
lasting.
Phoebus is
brightest at
midday, but
his light is
often dimmed
by clouds.
When
Fortune seems
fairest, then
is she most
ready to
change.
86
The Fall of Jabin
[bk. I
Remember
the un-
certainty of
all earthly
happiness.
But a bakwynter can somer vndermyne
And al his fresshnesse sodenli declyne.
Al ertheli blisse dependith in a weer,
In a ballauwce oneuenli hangyng, — 3124
O Pryncis, Pryncessis most souereyn & enteer,
In this tragedie conceyueth be redyng,
How that estatis bi ful vnwar chaungyng,
Whilom ful worthi, ther lyues dede fyne, 3128
Whan fro ther noblesse thei wer maad to declyne.
Now I will
write about
the fall of
Jabin, rebel
to God,
who long
forbore to
punish him,
but finajly
threw him
down in the
midst of his
pride.
[Of mighty labjrn Kjmg of Canane, of quene locasta/
and how Thebes was destroied.]] ^
NOW must I write the grete sodeyn fall
Off myhti labyn for his iniquite,
Which onto lewes was ewmy ful mortall, 3132
With sceptre & crowne regnyng in Canane,
And vpon AfFrik hadde the souereynte,
Rebel to God, and list hym nat obeye.
But euer redi his peeple to werreye. 3136
The Lord a-boue, seyng the tiranwye,
Forbar his hand with ful long suffrauwce,
And was nat hasti on his obstynacye,
Lich his desert, for to do vengauwce; 3140
But ay this labyn bi contynuauwce
Endured foorth in his cursidnesse.
Til that the suerd off Goddis rihtwisnesse
Was whet ageyn hym, this tirant to chastise. 3144
And to represse his rebelliouw,
From his kyngdam, the story doth deuise,
Mid off his pride he was pullid doun,
Texemplefie wher domynacioun 3148
Is fouwde wilfuU trouthe to ouercaste,*
God wil nat suffre ther power longe laste.
For this labyn, founde alway froward, [p. 40]
Off hih disdeyn list nat the Lord to knowe, 3152
Therfore his power drouh alwey bakward,
3 121. abak wynter H 5, aback winter P.
3127. ful] om. R. 3128. Whilom] Sumtyme R.
3133. Chanane R. 3136. redi] redy is R. 3137. the] this R.
3141. ay]eu^rR. 3147. Mid] In myddis R.
3148. wher] the R.
3149. to ouercaste] touercaste B.
I MS. J. leaf 17 recto.
BK. l]
S^en Jocasta and Laius
And his empire was I-brouht ful lowe;
His roial fame Fortune hath ouerthrowe,
His name eclipsid, that whilom shon so cleer
Off grete Cison beside the ryueer.
3156
87
OFF queen locasta Bochas doth eek endite,
Pryncesse off Thebes, a myhti gret cite,
Off hir vnhappis he doolfulli doth write, 3160
Ymagynyng how he dede hir see
To hym appeere in gret aduersite,
Lich a woman that wolde in teres reyne.
For that Fortune gan at hir so disdeyne. 3164
Thouh she were diffacid off figure,
Ther shewed in hir a maner maieste
Off queenli honour, pleynli to discure
Hir infortunys and hir infeUcite, 3168
And to declare pleynH how that she
Off all princessis which euer stood in staat.
She was hirselff the moste infortunat.
Which gaff to Bochas ful gret occasioun, 3172
Whan he sauh hir pitous apparaile,
For to make a lamentacioun
Off vnkouth sorwe which dede hir assaile.
With a tragedie to wepyn and bewaile 3176
Hir inportable & straunge dedli striff.
Which that she hadde durj^ng al hir liff.
He wrot off hir a story large & pleyn,
And off hir birthe first he doth diffyne, 3180
And affermeth in his book certeyn.
She was descendid off a noble lyne;
In flouryng age eek whan she dede shyne,
She weddid was, for hir gret beute, 3184
Onto the kyng off Thebes the cite.
Which in his tyme was callid Layus.
And whan hir wombe bi processe gan arise.
The kyng was glad and also desirous 3188
31543 And his empire was aftir \)at brouht ful lowe R.
3156. whilom] some R. 3157. Cisoun J.
3158. eek] also R. 3168. hir felicittee R.
3170. stoden in estate R. 3171. the] om. R.
3173. sauh] seeth R. 3175. sorowis R.
3176. bewaile] to waile R.
3179. wrot] writ R, H, P, write H 5, writte J — a] om. R.
3183. eek] also R — she] l^Jt she R. 3187. arise] to rise H.
Bochas also
tells the story
of Queen
Jocasta,
who appeared
before him
proudly declar-
ing her misfor-
tunes.
She came of a
noble line and
married Laius,
king of Thebes,
88 The Infancy of (Edipus |^bk. i
The childes fate to knowe[n] in sum wise,
And thouhte he wolde go do sacrefise
Onto Appollo, to haue* knowyng aforn*
Touchyng this child whan that it were born. 3192
who. when she What sholdc folwcn in conclusioun,
became ^^ . i i • r
pregnant, He was desiFOus and hasti for to see,
asked Apollo 'p^. t • i i i- i- • •
what would be T irst Di the heuenli disposiciouw,
of the^cwid. And hi the fauour, yifF it wolde be, 3196
Off Appollos myhti deite
To haue answere, a-mong his rihtis all,
Off his child what fate ther sholde fall.
Apollo said it His answere, thouh it were contrarie 3200
was latcci to «-, i"i* • •! «jf*'!i
kill its father, lo his desir, yit was It thus* in deede:
Appollo told hym, & list no lenger tarie,
That this child sholde verraili in deede
Slen his fader, & make his sides bleede, 3204
And with his handis; ther was noon othir weie,
But on his swerd he muste needis deie.
When his son The kyng was heuy and trist off this sentence,
king bade men Sorful in hcrte, God wot, and no thyng fayn, 3208
death in a And caste afFom thoruh his prouidence,
crest. That his sone in al haste sholde be slayn.
And that he wolde nat oon hour delayn
AfFtir his berthe, but bad his men to goon 3212
Into a forest and sle the child a-noon.
Lik his biddyng the mynystres wrouhte in deede,
Takyng the child, tendre and yong off age;
And in-tafForest with hem thei gan it leede, 3216
To be deuoured off beestis most sauage:
The mooder, alias, fill almost in a rage,
Seyng hir child, so inli fair off face,
Shal thus be ded, and dede no trespace. 3220
His mother al- Litil wondcr thouh she felte smerte!
most went mad _, ,, _
for grief, 1 o all womcn 1 reporte me.
And onto moodres that be tendre off herte,
3189. fate] state R, staat J. 3191- to haue] ta B —
knowlychyng afForn R — aforn] beforn H, tofForn B.
3192. were] was R. 3193- What] That R.
3196. yifF] om. R. 3198. rihtis] wittis R.
3199. ther sholde fall] schuld befall R.
3201. thus] this B. 3205. noon othir] nd\^er R.
3208. sorowfull H — in] off R. 3209. thoruh] om. R.
321 1, delayn] delay R. 3215. yong & tendre H.
3216. into a forest R — it] hym R. 3218. almost fill into R.
BK. l]
(Edipus is rescued by a Shepherd
89
In this mater iuges for to be. 3224
Was it nat routhe, was it nat pite.
That a pryncesse and a queen, alias,
Sholde knowyn hir child deuoured in such cas!
AfFtir his berthe Layus took good keep, 3228
Withoute mercy, respit or delay,
That onto oon, which that kepte his sheep,
This yonge child vpon a certeyn day
Shal be delyuered in al the haste he may, 3232
To this entent, it myht nat be socourid,
But that he sholde off beestis be deuourid.
This seid[e] shepperde goth foorth a-noon riht, [p.41]
The child beholdyng, benygne off look & face, 3236
Thouhte in his herte & in his inward siht.
He sholde doon to God a gret trespace
To slen this child; wherfore he dede hym grace, —
Took first a knyfF, & dede his besi peyne 3240
Thoruhout his feet to make holis tweyne.
Took a smal* rod off a yong* oseer,
Perced the feet, alias, it was pite! —
Bond hj'm faste, and bi good leiseer 3244
The yonge child he heeng vpon a tre.
Off entent that he ne sholde be
Thoruh wilde beestis, cruel & sauage.
Been sodenli deuoured in ther rage. 324S
Vpon the tre whil he heeng thus bounde.
Off auenture bi sum occasioun,
A straunge shepperde hath the child I-founde, •
Which that off routhe & pite* took hym doun, 3252
Bar it with hym hoom onto his toun.
Made his wiff for to doon hir peyne
To fostre the child with hir brestis tweyne.
And whan he was brouht foorth & recurid, 3256
And ful maad hool off his woundis sore.
The yonge child, which al this hath endurid,
When he in age gan to wexe more,
And that nature gan hym to restore, 3260
The said[e] shepperde, that loued hym best off all,
Afftir his hurtis Edippus dede hym call.
3230. which] om. R. 3241. feet] hert R.
3242. smal aTid yong are transposed in B — osier R, P, H 5.
3252. pite & routhe B, P. 3253. onto] in to R.
3258. The] This R. 3259. began R.
which was not
astooishing
in the
circumstances.
But the shep-
herd who was
commanded
to slay the
child had
compassion,
and, piercing
his feet, hung
him up in a
tree.
where he was
found by an-
other shep-
herd, who
cared for him.
and called him
CEdipus,
90
(Edipus is adopted by the King of Corinth [bk. i
and presented
him to Queen
Merope, wife
of Polybus.
Thus CEdipus
became the
adopted son
and heir of the
king of
Corinth.
How sudden
are the
changes of
Fortune!
People who
are brought
low should not
complain.
God can as
quickly raise
them-j^up
again.
For Edippus is no more to seyne,
Who that conceyueth thexposicioun, 3264
But feet Ipershid throuhout bothe tweyne,
In that language, as maad is menciouw.
And to Meropa, wyfF off kyng PoHboun,
The shepperde, ofF ful humble entente, 3268
Gan the child ful lowli to presente.
And for she was bareyn off nature.
She and the kyng off oon afFeccioun
Took Edippus bothe into ther cure, 3272
As sone and heir bi adopciouw,
To regne in Corynthe bi successiouw;
The kyng, the queen off Corynthe the contre
Haddyn the child in so gret cheerte. 3276
Let men considre in ther discreciouw
Sodeyn chauwg off euery maner thyng:
This child sent out for his destruccioun,
And now prouydid for to been a kyng; 3280
And thoruh Fortune, ay double in hir werkyng.
He that was refus to beestis most sauage.
Is now receyued to kyngli heritage.
Destitut he was off his kenreede, 3284
Forsake and abiect off blood & off allie.
In tendre youthe his feet wer maad to bleede,
Heeng on a tre and gan for helpe crie;
But God that can in myscheefF magnefie 3288
And reconforte folk disconsolat.
Hath maad this child now so fortunat,
And prouyded to been a kyngis heir,
OfF hym that stood off deth in auenture. 3292
Fortune can shewe hir-selff bothe foul & fair,
Folkis brouht lowe ful weel a~geyn recure;
And such as can pacientli endure.
And list nat gruchch a-geyn ther chastisyng, 3296
God out off myscheeff can sodenli hem bryng.
But whan Edippus was growe vp to good age,
Lich a yong prynce encresyng in noblesse,
Lusti and strong, and fresh off his corage, 3300
3269. Be gan R, J.
3286. youthej yough R.
3287. on] vp on R — bigan for to crie R — helpe] to H.
3295. such as can] sich (siche) as paaently can R, J.
3299. encresshyng R.
BK. l]
(Edipus is iold his Fate
91
CEdipus soon
learned that he
was not the
real son of
King Polybus,
and consulting
the oracle of
Apollo,
Off auenture it fill so in sothnesse,
Other be strifF or be sum frowardnesse,
Or be sum contek, he hadde knowlechyng
How he was nat sone onto the kyng 3304
As be discent, but a ferr foreyn.
Wherupon ful sore he gan to muse,
And for to knowe and be put in certeyn,
Thouhte he wolde sum maner practik vse; 3308
And to the kyng he gan hymselff excuse,
For a tyme withdrawyn his presence,
Til that he knew bi sum experience
Or bi sum signe how the mateer stood. 3312
Thouhte he wolde doon his dilligence
To knowe his fader, and also off what blood
He was descendid, and haue sum euidence
Touchyng trouthe, how it stood in sentence. 3316
And heerupon to be certefied.
Toward AppoUo faste he hath hym hied.
Which in Cirra worsheped was that tyme,
And yaff answeris thoruh his deite
To folk that cam, at euen and at pryme.
Off eueri doute and ambiguite.
And there Edippus, fallyng on his kne,
Afftir his offryng hadde answere anoon.
Toward Greece that he sholde goon
Onto a mounteyn that Phocis bar the name;
And there he sholde off his kenrede heere.
Eek lik his fate the answere was the same: 3328
He sholde slen his owne fader deere.
And afftir that to Thebes drawe hym neere,
Wedde his mooder, off verray ignoraunce,
Callid locasta, thoruh his vnhappi chaunce. 3332
He list no lengere tarien nor abide, which he did.
This said Edippus, but foorth in haste goth he.
And on his weye he gan [anon] to ride.
Til he the mounteyn off Phocis dede see, 3336
Vnder the which stood a gret contre
3304. How] om. H.
3306. bigan R. 3308. practik] practiff R. 3309. began R.
3320. answere R. 3325. that] om. R. 3326. Onto] In to R.
3328. Eek] Also R. 3333. nor] ner R.
3335. he gan anon] gan H, R 3, he began anoon J, he biganne
anon H 5, he gan anone P, began anone R.
[p. 42]
3320
3324
was told that
he would hear
of his kindred
if he went to
Ml Phocis,
92 (Edipus kills his Father ^ Laius [bk. i
Callid Citoiens, which that tyme in certeyn
Werreied hem that were on the mouwteyn.
and there by His fadcF Layus, throuh his cheualrie, 3340
his^father/ With Citoicns IS cntFid in bataile;
Laius. ^^^ Edippus cam with the partie
OfF the hiUis, armed in plate & maile.
And as thei gan ech other to assaile, 3344
Among the pres at ther encount[e]ryng,
OfF auenture Edippus slouh the kyng.
without knowing Onknowe to hym that he his fader was,
Hauyng therofFno suspeciouw; 3348
Passid his way, platli this the cas.
And eek onknowe he cam onto the toun
OfF myhti Thebes, where for his hih renoun
He was receyued with ful gret reuerence, 3352
Because that he slouh in ther difFence
At Thebes he Spynx the setpent, horrible for to see,
was received iirv m j j l ■ • ^ •
with great Wiiilom ordcyncd bi mcantaciouns
heTw^th?"'* For to destroie the toun and the contre 3356
pentThat Trol ^^ ^^^ compassid sleihti questiouns.
pounded a rid- Slouh man and child in all the regiouns,
die to be solved r^ ■, i i i • ■ i
on pain of buch as nat koude bi wisdam or resoun
Make ofF his problem pleyn exposiciouw. 3360
Who passid bi, he koude hym nat excuse,
But the serpent hym felly wolde assaile.
With a problem make hym for to muse,
Callid ofF suwme an vnkouth dyuynaile, 3364
Which for texpowne, who that dede faile,
Ther was noon helpe nor other remedie,
Bi the statut but that he muste deie.
Since all people And for allc folk ha[ue] nat knowlechyng 3368
this^riddie?! OfF this dcmauwde what it was in deede,
will tell It to J ^jji reherse it heer in my writyng
Compendiousli, that men may it reede.
First this serpent, who that list take heede, 3372
Was monstruous & spak a-geyn nature.
And yifF it fill that any creature,
3338. in] om. R. 3343. hil R. 3344. began R.
3347. Onknowe] Vnknowen R. 3349- this is R, J, H 5.
3350. eek] also R — onto] to R. 3356. destrie R.
3362. wolde hym felly R. 3364. summe an] sum men R.
3366. nor] nethif R. 3373. ayenst R.
BK. i] The Riddle of the Sphinx 93
Man or woman sholde forbi pace,
Hih or low, off al that regioun, 3376
As I seide erst, ther was noon othir grace.
But ylff he made an exposlcioun
Off this serpentis froward questioun,
He muste deie and make no difFence. 3380
Which demaunde was this in sentence:
The serpent askid, what thyng may that be, u?"hat"2.nnot
Beeste or foul, whan it is foorth brouht, ^^^^ Trld^goej
That hath no power to stonde, go nor fle; 3384 fi"t on four.
Airr- i*rr"i IL *■ °° three,
And aiFtirward, yiiF it be weel souht, and finally on
Goth first on foure, & ellis goth he nouht: wards on three
Afftir bi processe, on thre, & thanne on tweyne; """^ ^°"'' ***'°^
And efFt ageyn, as nature doth ordeyne, 3388
He goth on thre and efft on foure ageyn,
Off kjmdly riht nature disposith it so.
And in a while it folwith in certeyn,
To the mateer which that he cam fro, 3392
He muste oflF keende resorte ageyn therto.
And who cannat the menyng cleerli see,
He off this serpent shal deuoured be.
Which Edippus, ful so[b]re in his entent, 3396 ^swe^'r'ed
Nat to rakell nor hasti ofF language, "^''i? 8^' '^''-
T> • 1 • 1 • I o o ' cretion.
But m his herte with gret auisement.
And ful demur off look & [of] visage,
Considred* ferst this p^reilous fell passage, 3400
Sauh weel tofom* that it was no iape.
And ful prouyded that no woord escape.
At good leiser with hool mynde & memory, [p. 43]
Seyng the ernest ofF this mortal emprise, 3404 i7^"^id^'
His lifF dependyng a-twen deth and victory,
" This beeste," quod he, " pleynli to deuise.
Is first a child, which may nat suffise.
Whan it is born, the trouthe is alday seene, 3408
Withouten helpe hymseluen to susteene.
3375. forbi] furth bi R.
3377. erst] arst R.
3386. &] or R — he] it R.
3389. efft] aftir R.
3390. OffjAlsoR — riht]rithR.
3397. nor] orto R.
3400. Considred] Considreth B, R 3.
3401. Sauh] Seeth R, si3e J — tofom] beforn B, R 3.
3405. bitwene R.
94
who grows to
be a man.
When age
comes he uses
a 8ta£F
and finally re-
turns with four
feet to the
earth from
which he
There is no
defence against
nature. Who
climbs highest
has the lowest
fall.
The Riddle of the Sphinx [|bk. i
Afftir on foure he naturali doth kreepe,
For inpotence and greene tendirnesse,
Norices can telle that* doon hem keepe. 3412
But afFtirward, vp he doth hym dresse
With his too feet; the thridde to expresse,
Is hand or bench or support off sum wall
To holde hym vp, list he cachche a fall. 3416
And afFtirward encresyng off his myht,
To gretter age whan he doth atteyne,
Off his nature thanwe he goth vpriht,
Mihtili vpon his leggis tweyne. 3420
Thanne kometh age his power to restreyne,
Crokid and lame, lik as men may see.
With staff or potent to make up leggis thre.
But whan feeblesse or siknesse doon assaile, 3424
On feet and handis he must bowe & loute;
For crossid potentis may nat thanwe auaile,
Whan lusti age is banshed & shet oute.
Thawne efFt ageyn, heerofF may be no doute, 3428
With foure feet terthe he doth retourne
Fro whens he cam, ther stille to soiourne."
Al cam from erthe, and [al] to erthe shall;
Ageyn nature is no protecciouw; 3432
Worldli estatis echon thei be mortall,
Ther may no tresor make redempciouw.
Who clymbeth hiest, his fal is lowest douw;
A mene estat is best, who koude it knowe, 3436
Tween hih presumyng & bowywg douw to lowe.
For who sit hiest, stant in iupartie,
Vndir daunger ofF Fortune lik to fall:
MyscheefF and pouert as for ther partie, 3440
Be lowest brouht among these peeplis all.
Summe folk han sugir, summe taste gall;
Salamon therfore, merour ofF sapience,
Tween gret richesse and atween indigence 3444
3412, that] which that B. 3418. gretter] gret R.
3420. Mihtili] Mihtly R. 3423. a staff R.
3424. feblenesse R. 3425. hondis & feet R.
3426. crossid] crossis R, J. 3429. foure] faire R.
3431. 2nd al] ow. H. 3432. is] may be R, J.
3435. lowest] ferthest H, farthest R 3, fardest P — his] is R.
3437. Tween] Betwene R. 3438. For] Or R.
3439. of Fortune is repeated in R. 3442. folkes R.
3443. therfore] ther of H. 3444- Tween] Bitwene R —
richesse] richessis R — atween] bitwene R.
BK. l]
The Misfortunes of CEdipus
95
Axed a mene callid suffisaunce,
To holde hym content off competent dispence,
Nat to reioishe off to gret habundaunce,
And ay in pouert to sende hym pacience,
Sobre with his plente, in scarsete noon offence
As off gruchchyng, but atwen ioie and smert
Thanke God off all, and euer be glad off hert.
Erthe is the eende off eueri maner man;
For the riche with gret possessioun
Deieth as soone, as I reherse can,
As doth the poore in tribulacioun:
For deth ne maketh no dyuisioun
Bi synguler fauour, but twen bothe iliche,
Off the porest and hym that is most riche.
This seid problem concludith in this cas,
Which the serpent gan sleihtili purpose,
That whan a child is first born, alias,
Kynde to his dethward anon doth hym dispose;
Ech day a iourne; ther is noon other glose;
Experience can teche in eueri age,
How this world heer is but a pilgrymage.
This said Edippus, first in Thebes born,
Sent to a forest deuoured for to be,
Founde & brouht foorth, as ye han herd toforn.
And afftir*, drawyng hom to his contre,
Slouh his fader, so infortunat was he
Off froward happis folwynge al his lyue.
As this tragedie his fortune shal descryue.
But for that he thoruh his hih prudence
Onto the serpent declared euerideel.
He slouh hym afftir be myhti violence,
Mor bi wisdam than armure maad off steel, —
Stace off Thebes can telle you ful weel, —
Therefore, as
Solomon said,
it is best to be
neither too
poor nor too
rich.
for the end of
all is earth,
and Death
shews favour
to no man.
3448
3452
3456
3460
3464
CEdipus was
unfortunate
3468 during all his
life.
The moment a
child is bom he
sets forth on a
pilgrimage to-
wards death.
3472
3476
After he slew
the Sphinx,
3446. dispence^ expence R.
341J.9. scarsetej scarsnesse R, J, scarcenes P, scarsenes H 5 —
in] om. H 5.
3450. but atwen] both betwene R.
3457. twen] betwene R. 3458. and] & off R.
3459. condudid R.
3460. began R — sleihtili] sleihty to R. 3463. glose] chose R.
3464. can] gan R. 3466. said] om. H.
3469. afftir] afftirward B, H, R 3.
3472. shal] doth H, can R 3. 3475. myhti] knyhtly R.
3476. than armure, etc.] than of armure & of Steele R.
96 CEdipus marries his Mother, Jocasta \byl. i
Which was o cause, yiff ye list to seen,
Wherthoruh Edippus weddid hath the queen
he took his Callid locasta, pryncesse off that cite, 3480
to°wjfe! ""^' His owne mooder, onknowe to hem bothe.
And thouh she were riht fair vpon to see,
With this manage the goddis were ful wrothe;
For ther alliaunce nature gan to lothe, 3484
That a mooder, as ye shal vndirstonde,
Sholde take hir sone to been hir husbonde.
encToflhe'sfars' There was theryn no convenyence, [p. 44]
t^e'cl'u^^or" To be supportid be kynde nor be resouw, 3488
this unnatural But yiff SO be the heueuH influence
marriage.
Disposid it be thyclynacioun
Off sum fals froward constellacioun,
. Causid bi Saturne, or Mars the froward sterre, 3492
Tengendre debat or sum mortal werre.
In this mateer, pleyn[H] thus I deeme
Off no cunnyng but off opynyoun:
Thouh he wer crownyd with sceptr<? & diademe 3496
To regne in Thebes the stronge myhti touw.
That sum aspect cam from heuene douw,
Infortunat, froward and ful off rage.
Which ageyn kynde deyned this mariage. 3500
Two sons were fJc crowuyd was basseut off al the touw,
born to them, _,, , ~.
Eteocies and T loutyug a seson bc souereynte ott pes;
two^ daughters, Aud whil he heeld[e] theer possessioun,
fsmlr' ""^ Sones & douhtres he hadde dout[e]les: 3504
The firste sone callid Ethiocles,
Pollynyces callid was the tothir,
As seith Bochas, the seconde brothir.
Also he hadde goodli douhtren tweyne, 3508
The eldest callid was Antigone,
And the seconde named was Ymeyne;
Bothe thei wern riht fair vpon to see:
The queen locasta myhte no gladdere be, 3512
3481. vnknawen R. 3483. this] his H.
3487. no] none R. 3488. nor] no R.
3489. so] it so R — the] that R. 3490. Dispose R.
3494. pleyn R. 3500. deyned] denyed H 5, disposid P.
3503. theer] the R.
3506. Pollicynes R, Polymyces H — was callid H.
3510. And] om. R.
35 1 1. Bothe] And both R — riht fair] om. R — vpon] on R.
BK. l]
Fortune eclipses all Glory
97
Than to remembre, whan thei wex in age.
How goddis hadde encreced her lynage.
It was hir ioie and hir fehcite
To seen hir childre, that were so inli faire: 3516
But ofFte in ioie ther cometh aduersite,
And hope onsured whanhope doth ofte appaire;
Contrarious trust will gladli ther repaire
Wher fals[e] wenyng in hertis is conceyued 3520
Thoruh ignorauTice, which fele folk* hath deceyued.
What thyng in erthe is more deceyuable.
Than whan a man supposith verraily
In prosperite for to stonde stable,
And from his ioie is remeued sodenly ?
For wher Fortune is founde to hasty
To trise folk, is greuous to endure,
For sodeyn chaungis been hatful to nature.
Vnwar wo that cometh on gladnesse,
Is onto hertis riht passyng encombrous;
And who hath felt his part off welfulnesse,
Sorwe suynge oon is to hym odious.
And werst off all and most contrarious.
Is whan estatis, hiest off renoun,
Been from ther noblesse sodenli put doun.
There is no glory which that shyneth heer,
That fals Fortune can so magnefie;
But whan his laude brihtest is and cleer.
She can eclipse it with sum cloudy skie
OflF vnwar sorwe, onli ofF envie.
Seeth off Edippus an open euydence.
Which bi his lyue hadde experience
OflF hih noblesse, and therwith also
Part inportable off gret aduersite.
Is ioie ay meynt with ful mortal wo:
For whil he regned in Thebes his cite.
Jocasta
rejoiced
in her
children:
but what
thing it more
deceitful
than
3524 Fortune?
3528
The greatest
sorrow is
that which
comes
unawares
after joy.
3S32
3536
There is
no glory-
that Fortune
cannot eclipse.
3540
3544
3514. How] Heer R.
3516. children R.
3518. whanhope, separaud into Uvo words in J, R 3, P; whan in
whanhope is corrected to wan, R, whanne H 5 — doth] om. J.
3519. will] wol H. 3520. hert R. 3521. folk fele B.
3527. trise] tryuse H. 353 1. wilfulnesse R.
3535. put] brouht R. 3542. Which] Whilk H.
3S4S- ay] tuer R. 3546. his] the R.
98
The Prophecy of Tiresias
[bk. I
which brought
the people in
despair.
The land was And locEsta, With ful grct royalte,
penHence^ ^ Withynnc the centre ther fill a pestilence, 3548
The peeple infectyng with his violence
Thoruh al the land and al the regioun
In eueri age; but most greuousli
On hem echon that were[n] off the touw 3552
Thenfeccioun spradde most speciali.
And ofF vengauwce the suerd most rigerousli
Day be day [be]gan to bite and kerue,
OfF ech estat causyng folk to sterue. 3556
Thus gan encrece the mortalite,
That eueri man stood in iupartie
OfF ther lyues thoruhout the contre,
So inportable was ther maladie. 3560
Men myhte heer the peeple clepe & crie,
Disespeired so were thei ofF ther lyues.
Void ofF al socour and ofF preseruatyues,
They asked the Thei souhte out hctbes & spices in ther cofFres, 3564
divinert Jhy" And gan to seeke for helpe and for socours,
pumsiTed^." '° The cause enqueryng ofF prudent philisophres
And ofF ther moste expert dyuynours, —
Whi that the goddis with so sharpe shours 3568
OfF pestilence, and in so cruel wise,
List hem, alias, so mortali chastise ?
But among alle, in soth this is* the cas, [p. 45]
Ther was founde oon ful prudent and riht wis, 3572
A prophete callid Tiresias,
OfF prophesie hauyng a souereyn pris.
Which that afFermed and seide in his auys, —
As onto hym was shewid be myracle, 3576
Phebus hymselfF declaryng the oracle, — •
None could
answer save
Tiresias,
Th'^a't the^peslu Causc off this sikncsse and these maladies,
lence would in- j^g i\^q goddis plcynli ban disposid,
crease until a ini -i* !• ^•
king, who slew And Scnck writ eek in his tragedies,
his father and rr^, . , , j • 1 • j
married his 1 houh the cause be secre and iclosid,
Xo"uW °be "e- Onto the tyme ther be a kyng deposid.
3580
3549. enfectynge R.
3555. began] gan H, R. 3557- bigan to encrese R.
3561. That men myhten R. 3562. Dispeired R.
3563. 2nd ofF 3 ofF ther R. 3565. bi gan R.
3571. in soth this is] sothli this B, H. 3572. riht] ow. R.
3578. these]of this R. 3580. eek] also R. 3581. secret R.
BK. i] The Sorrow of (Edipus and Jocasta 99
Which slouh his fader & reffte hym off his liff,
And hath eek take his mooder to his wifF, 3584
Til this be doon and execut in deede,
Ther may be maad[e] no redempcioun;
But pestilence shal multeplie & spreede
Ay mor and mor thoruhout that regioun, 3588
Til onto tyme that he be put doun
From his crowne, — which nat longe a-goon
His fader slouh among his mortal foon,
And hath his mooder weddid eek also, 3592
A-geyn[e]s lawe and a-geyn al riht.
Til that vengaunce vpon this crym be do,
Ther shal be werre, pestilence and fiht,
Sorwe and* gret strilF, and euery maner wiht 3596
Off vengaunce his neyh[e]bour shal hate;
Brother with brother, & blood with blood debate.
This al and sum; ther may be no socour. S'n"^^'*
Which brouht the peeple in ful gret heuynesse, 3600 beiieye thit
r-> '-r>- '11 Tiresias
For Tiresia the grete dyuynour, meant
Bi prophecie tolde hem thus expresse. ''""' °^'
And atte laste, bi toknys and witnesse,
Men vndirstood be signes out shewyng, 3604
This pestilence was brouht in bi the kyng.
And thouh the peeple [ne] gafF no credence
To Tiresia, nor to his prophesie.
The queen locasta cauhte an euidence, 3608 {^j^^^
And in hir herte a ful gret fantasie, tfaetmth.
Speciali whan she dede espie
Off kyng Edippus the feet whan she sauh woundid.
How this rumour was vpon trouthe [I]groundid: 3612
Because also there was a dyuynour
Which tolde alForn Edippus sholde be
To Layus in Thebes successour.
Wherbi the kyng, the queen, and the cite 3616 s^j^.^-i
Fill in gret trouble and gret aduersite, — were greatly
Weel more than I be writyng can reporte,
For ther was nothyng that myhte hem reconforte.
3588. Ay] Euer R, J. 3589. onto] vnto the R.
3592. eek] om. R, J. 3594- this] that R.
3596. 1st and is crossed out B. 3600. ful] om. R.
3604. be] and R. 3606. ne] om. H, P, R 3. 3607. nor] no R.
361 1, sauh] se R, sey H. 3612. groundid H, R.
3614. afFom] to fom R. 3615. Thebes] thes R.
3617. and] and in R. 3619. reconforte] comfort H.
lOO
(Edipus in Despair
[bk. I
The king
cast away
his crown
and tore out his
eyes and cried
day and night
for death.
What grieved
him most was
that his sons
hated him,
so he prayed
the gods that
Polynices and
Eteocles might
bring one an-
other to de-
Ful ofte a-day locasta gan to swowne, 3620
Kyng Edippus sobbe, crie and weepe,
In salt[e] teris as they wolde hem drowne,
Deth craumpisshyng into ther brest gan creepe,
A-day compleynyng, a-nyht they may nat sleepe, 3624
Cursyng the hour off ther natyuyte,
That thei sholde a-bide for to see
Ther mortal chauws, ther dedli auenture,
Ther fortune also*, which gan on hem frowne, 3628
Inpacient and doolful to endure,
Ther froward fate with hir lookis browne.
The kyng for ire cast a-wey his crowne,
And gan tarace, for constreynt off his peyne, 3632
Out off his hed his woful eyen tweyne.
Day and nyht he cried afftir deth.
Hatful to come* in any manys siht.
Most desirous to yelden vp the breth, 3636
Woful in herte to come in any liht,
Croked for sorwe, feeble to stonde vpriht;
And speciali in his dedli distresse,
For dreed & shame he dared in derknesse. 3640
The cruel constreynt off his most greuauwce
Was that his sonys hadde hym in despiht,
Which gan his sorwe gretli to auaunce,
For hym to scorne was set al ther deliht; 3644
Was neuer [man] that stood in a wers pliht.
For thus liggyng and destitut off cheer,
Onto the goddis he made this praier,
Besechyng hem with a ful doolful herte 3648
Vpon his wo to haue* compassioun.
And that thei wolde, for tauenge his smerte,
Atween his sonys make a dyuysioun,
Ech to brynge other to destruccioun: 3652
This was his praier pleynli in substauwce,
That ech on other take may vengaunce
3620. a-day3 in the day R. 3623. brestl hert R.
3624. nat] noth R. 3625. Cursyng] Outraynge R.
3628. also] eek B, H — gan] did R. 3630. lookis] lokkis R.
3632. be gan R. 3635. come] comen B, J, comon R.
3638. Croked] Corbide R. 3640. &] of H.
3642. hadden hem R.
3645. man is written between the columns in a later hand R.
3646. thus] om. H, P.
3649. to haue] ha sum B, haue sum J, haue some P.
3653. pleynli] om. R. 3654. may take R.
BK. l]
The Enmity of Polynices and Euocles
lOI
^6^6 His prayer wi J
answered.
3660
The brother*
became mortal
foes.
In yeeris fewe for ther onkynd[e]nesse. [p. 46]
Thei herd his praier, as ye han herd deuyse;
The brethre too, thoruh ther cursidnesse,
Euerich gan other mortali despise,
For lak off grace and for fals couetise,
Ech for his parti desirous in deede
Tofom other to regne and [to] succeede.
And thus this brethre* most infortunat,
A-tween hemsilfF fill at discencioun;
And fynali this vnkynde[ly] debat 3664
Brouht al Thebes onto destruccioun:
Yit was ther first maad a convencioun,
Bi entirchaungyng* that ech sholde regne a yeer,
The tother absent, go pleie & come no neer. 3668 —
This was concludid bi ther bothe assent
And bi accord off al the regioun.
Polynyces rod foorth and was absent,
Ethyocles took first possessioun.
But whan the yeer bi reuolucioun
Was come a-boute, he, fals off his entent,
Onto thaccord denved to consent.
3672
This was o cause off ther bothe stryues,
Polynyces thus put out off his riht.
Til Adrastus, that kyng was* off Argyues,
Which thoruh al Grece grettest was oflF myht,
Sente onto Thebes Tideus a knyht.
His sone-in-lawe, to trete off this mateere.
And the cause fynali to lere,
Whethir the kyng callid Ethiocles
Wolde condescende off trouthe and off resoun
To stynte werre and to cherisshe pes,
Affter thaccord and composicioun,
Vp to delyuere Thebes the myhti toun
3676
3680
Adrastus, king
of Argos, sect
Tydeus to
Thebes to help
Polynices,
3684
but without
avail.
3657. brethem R.
3662. brethre] breed B, brethem R, H 5, Brethir H.
3663. Betwene R. 3664. thus vnkinde P.
3666. made first R.
3667. Bentirchaungyng B — a yeer] eir R.
3668. go] to R, J. P, H 5.
3670. the] that R. 3673. But] & H.
3675. consent] assent R. 3678. was kyng B.
3681. oflGforH.
3683. Whethir] Wher thoruh R — callid] om. R.
3687. Vp] for H, om. P — the] that P.
102 The Fall of Thebes [bk. i
Onto his brother, which absent was withoute, 3688
Now that his yeer was fully come a-boute.
But he was fals, & frowardli gan varie,
Ethiocles, from his conuenciouw.
Uga"n 'l''wa""on ^or which Adrastus no lenger wolde tarie, 3692
Eteocies in aid Whan Tideus hadde maad relacioun:
of rolynices, . '
who had be- gut callid auoou thfouhout his regioun
in-ia.v. '' AUe worthi, bothe nyh and ferre,
A-geyn[es] Thebes for to gynne a werre. 3696
For this cause, lich as ye shal lere,
Polynyces, to forsen his partie,
I-weddid hadde the kyngis doubter deere,
I meene Adrastus, flour of cheualrie, 3700
Whan Tideus dede hym certefie
Touchyng the answere off Ethiocles,
And off his trouthe how he was rech[e]les,
Fals off his promys & cursidli forsworn; 3704
th°e''v,"oie''8t'!)ry ^^^ ^o his trouthe noon aduertence had he,
Thebet^'*^^ "^ ^^^ *° thaccord that was maad beforn
Touchyng delyuerauwce off Thebes the cite.
But who that list this story cleerli see 3708
Off these too brethre & ther discenciouw,
And how Adrastus lay tofor the touw,
And Tideus, thoruh his hih prowesse,
Fauht hi the way[e] goyng on message, 3712
And how off" Grece al the worthynesse
With kyng Adrastus wente in this viage,
And off^ the myschefi^ that fill in ther passage
For lak of water, til that Ysiphile, 3716
Norice of Ligurgus, so fair vpon to see,
Tauhte Tideus to fynde out a ryueer,
(She that dede in fairnesse so excell,)
Nor how the serpent, most ougli off^ his cheer, 3720
Off" kyng Ligurgus the child slow at a well.
Nor how Amphiorax fill a-doun to hell, —
3695. AUe] All the R. 3696. begynne R.
3698. Pollycynes R. 3706. beforn] to forne H.
3707. the delyu^raunce R. 3709. brethern R.
3714. this] his R.
3720. Nor] Ney^T R. 3721. a] the R.
3722. Nor] Neithir R.
BK. l]
The End of Polynices and Eteocles
Al to declare, me semeth it is no neede,
[For] in the siege of Thebes ye may it reede,
The stori hool, and maad ther mencioun
Off other parti, ther puissaunce & ther myht,
And how Adrastus lay tofom the toun.
And how thei metten eueri day in fiht.
And Tideus, the noble famous knyht
So renommed in actis marciall.
Was slayn, alias, as he fauht on the wall.
And how the brethre mette a-mong the pres,
Lich too tigres or leouns that were wood.
With sharp[e] speris; this is dout[e]les,
Euerich off hem shadde other[s] herte* blood:
This was ther fyn, & thus with hem it stood,
Sauf at ther festis callid funerall,
Ther fill a merueile which reherse I shall.
3724
372S
732
3736
[p. 47]
3740
W^han thei were brent into asshes dede,
OflF ther envie there fill a [ful] gret wonder
A-mong the brondes and the coles rede,
Hih in the hair the smokes wente assonder.
The ton [to] 00 parti and the tother yonder,
To declare, the story list nat feyne, 3744
The grete hatrede that was atwen hem tweyne.
Thus for ther ire and fals discencioun,
Alle the lordis and al the cheualrie
Were slayn off Grece and also off the toun. 3748
And roote off all, myn auctour list nat lie,
Was fals alliaunce and fraternal envie;
And cheefF ground, with al the surplusage,
Who serche a-riht, was onkyndli mariage. 3752
The queen locasta felte hir part off peyne
To seen hir childre ech off hem slen other,
Hir sone hir lord, blynd on his eyen tweyne.
Which to his sonys was fader & eek brother: 3756
Fortune wolde it sholde be noon other,
3723. semeth it is3 sempte it was R.
3714- For] om. H, R 3 — the] thes R — it] om. R.
3726. other] eithir R — pouyschaunce R.
3732. brethem mettjTi R. 3735- herte] hertis B.
3740. ful] om. H. 3743. to] om. H, on R 3.
3745. betwene R. 3746. ther] om. R — fals] for fals H.
3752. serche] seche H — serche a-riht] sekith right R 3.
3753. part] peyne R. 3754. children R.
3756. eek] also R.
103
So there is no
need of my
telling it here.
Tydeus was
slain.
the two
brothers killed
one another.
and on their
funeral pyre
the smokes
parted in
twain.
The root of all
this trouble was
unnatural mar-
riage.
Jocasta,
weighed down
with grief.
I04
The Death of Jocasta
[bk. I
dew herself
with CEdipus'
eword.
Eek Parkas sustre, which been in noumbre thre,
Span so the threed at ther natyuyte.
Eek whan locasta stood thus disconsolat, 3760
And sauh off Thebes the subuersioun,
The centre stroied, wast and desolat,
The gentil blood shad off that regiouw,
Withoute confort or consolaciouw, 3764
Thouhte she myhte be no mor appeired;
But off al hope fuUi disespeired,
Trist and heuy, pensifF & spak no woord,
Hir sorwes olde & newe she gan aduerte, 3768
Took the swerd off hym that was hir lord,
With which Edippus smot Layus to the herte,
She to fynisshe all hir peynes smerte,
And fro the bodi hir soule to deuyde, 3772
RofF hir-selfF[e] thoruhout eueri side.
She weri was off hir woful lifF,
Seyng off Fortune the gret[e] frowardnesse,
How hir diffame & sclandre was so riff, 3776
And off Edippus the gret[e] wrechidnesse,
Eek off hir sones the gret onkynd[e]nesse:
Alle these thyngis weied on hir so sore.
For distresse that she list lyue no more. 3780
Bochas writith, the flour off hir fairnesse,
Constreynt off sorwe causid it to fade;
The famous liht also* off hir noblesse
And al the cleernesse off hir daies glade 3784
With vnwar harmys was so ouerlade,
Off verrai angwissh, that she hirselff dede hate,
So inli contrari [disposid] was hir fate.
Death takes no Thus deth devouteth with his bittir gall 3788
heed of high T • J J • J fr 1
or low estate, loie and sorwc, deuoid oit ai mercy;
And with his darte he maketh doun to fall
Sorrow caused
her beauty to
fade.
3758. Eek] Also R — sustren H.
3759. the] ther H. 3760. Eek] Also R.
3761. sauh] sihe R. 3762. stroied] distrled R.
3764. comfort H.
3768. Hir] His R — newe] ner R. 3773- eueri] eithir R.
3778. Eek] Also R. 3783. also] eek B, eke R 3, P, H.
3784. hir] his R. 3785. sche was R.
3787. disposid] om. H — hir] to hir H. 3788. his] hir H.
3789. deuoid] auoyde R. 3790. his] hir H — he] she H.
BK. l]
(Edipus finally exiled by Creon
los
Riche and poore, hem markyng sodenly:
His vnwar strook smyt[eth] indifferently.
From hym refusyng fauour & al meede,
Off all estatis he takith so litil heede.
3792
Bet is to deie than lyue in wrechidnesse,
Bet is to deie than euer endure peyne,
Bet is an eende than dedli heuynesse,
Bet is to deie than euer in wo compleyne;
And where-as myscheeff doth at folk disdeyne
Bi woful constreynt off long contynuaunce, 3800
Bet is to deie than lyue in such greuaunce.
Taketh exauwple heeroff and a preeff
Off kyng Edippus, that was so longe a-go,
Off queen locasta, that felte so gret myscheeff, 3804
And off ther childre remembrith eek also.
Which euer lyued in envie, sorwe* & wo:
Fortune, alias, duryng al ther daies
Was founde so froward to hem at all assaies. 3808
Touchyng Edippus processe fynde I noon
What eende he made in conclusioun,
Sauf Bochas writith, how the kyng Creon,
Cosyn and heir bi successioun, 3812
Exilid hym cheyned ferr out off the toun,
Where he endured in myscheeff, sorwe & dreed.
Till Antropos ontwynid his lyuis threed.
But it is better
to die than live
3796 in misery.
Creon exiled
CEdipus, and I
cannot say how
he died.
CI Lenvoye.
IN this tragedie foure thinges ye may see.
The pride off labyn & fals pr<»su?npcioun.
Off queen locasta the gret aduersite.
Off kyng Edippus thynclynacioun
To vices all, and the deuysioun
Off the too brethre, pleynli vs tassure,
K)mgdamys deuyded may no while endure.
38
1 5 Kingdoms dis-
tracted by in-
ternal strife
cannot endure.
3820
3791. markyng] makynge R. 3792. His] hir H — smyteth]
smyt MSS. exupt P, H 5. 3793. hym] hir H. 3794. he]
she H,
3795-8, 3801, R, P, H 5 wrtU Bettir or Better insUad of Bet.
3796. endure] tendur^ H, to liff (Hue) in R, P, H 5, lyue in J,
to suffre R 3. 3799. at] al R.
3805. remembrith eek] remembre R.
3806. lyued in envie sorwe] lyueden in sorwe envie B, H —
lyuede eu^r R 3.
3813. hym] om. H 3814. in] om. R. 3816. foure] thre R.
lo6 Atreus and his Brother Thyestes [|bk. I
lOmneRegnum Yov who sauh cucF kvnedam or centre fp. 4.8I
desoiabiturji btondc in quycct off thcr possessioun, 3824
But yifF ther wer pes, riht and equyte
be^"ea^"and ^^'^ ^"st accord, withoute discenclouw,
justice. Void oflF ontrouthe and fals collusioun,
Pleynli declaryng bexaumple & bi scripture, 3828
Kyngdamys deuyded may no while endure.
by 'thfeMmpie Seeth hecr exaumple off Thebes the cite,
of Thebes. ^j^^ }^ow that noble myhti regiouw,
Thoruh ther* froward [fals] duplicite 3832
With werre brouht to ther destrucciouw;
Ther promys brokyn, and ther couert tresoun,
Shewed bi the[r] harmys, impossible to recure,
Kyngdamys deuyded may no while endure. 3836
Princes and Pryncis, Pryncessis, which ban the souereywte
cherish yo'ur Oucr thc peeple and domynaciouw,
subjects if you -trTr ^• i i • r ^• •
would reign Yirt ye list iyue longe m lelicite,
°"*' Cherisshith your subiectis, doth noon extorsiouw, 3840
And aduertisith off wisdam and resoun,
As this tragedie doth to you discure,
Kyngdamys deuyded may no while endure.
[How Atreus Kyng of Messene wrou3t ayenst his
brothir Thiestes / slouh his iij. childre dis-
membrid hem in pecys made Thiestes to ete of
ther fiessh and drynke of ther blood.]] ^
Bochas was T) OCHAS the poete, auctOMr off this book, 3844
preparing to ""^ "^ 7 o tt
B
write the story J-^ rlym purposyng to-gidre to compile
of Duke The- r~\ • 1 • 11
seus, Uyuers stories, anoon his pewne he took,
Hym remewbryng withynne a litil while,
In this chapitle gan direct* his stile 3848
To write the story, and be compendious,
Afforn all othre off Duk Theseus,
Lord off Athenys, a famous gret cite,
Ryht strong and myhti vpon eueri side, — 3852
But at his bak Bochas dede oon see,
3825. pes riht] rith pees R. 3828. bi ensaumple R.
3830. ensaumple R. 3832. ther] ther most B, H — fals^om. H.
3833. brouht] weren brouht R. 3835. ther] the H.
3837. han] had R.
3839. long Iyue J — felicite] prospmte H. 3842. As] al H.
3848. gan] bigan R — directen B. 3851. Athenys] Asye H.
^ MS. J. leaf 20 verso.
BK. Q
Atreus and Thyestes
Which cried loude & bad he sholde a-bide:
" Bochas," quod he, " fro the me list nat hide
My woful cas, nor in no wise spare
My pitous compleynt to the to declare!
I am Thiestes, be-spreynt al with wepyng,
Drownyd in tens, as thou maist weel see,
Whilom sone off the myhti kyng
Philistynes, and bom also parde
Off queen Pellopia, excellyng off beute;
And for thou art desirous for tendite
Off peeple onhappi, & ther wo to write,
My will is this, that thou anon proceede
To tume thi stile, and tak thi penne blyue,
Leue* Theseus, tak now off hym non heede,
But my tragedie first that thou descr>'ue.
For I suppose that in al thi lyue.
That thou sauh neuer a thyng mor dolerous,
Mor onhappi, mor froward nor pitous
Than is, alias, my mortal auenture.
Incomparable, the sorwe surmountyng
Off queen locasta, most woful creature.
Or off Edippus, his fate ay compleynyng:
For my compleynt haueth non endyng,
But lastith euere, & bereth me witnesse.
No wo rassemblith onto myn heuynesse."
And with that woord John Bochoj stille stood,
Ful sobirly to yiue hym audience;
And in the place demeurli he a-bod
To heere the substaunce off his mortal offence.
Which thus began to shewen his sentence,
" O lohn," quod he, " I pray the take good heed
My wo to write that men may it reed.
Alias! my brother, roote off onkynd[e]nesse,
Attreus callid, off tresoun sours & well,
And fyndere out off tresoun & falsnesse,
3856
107
when tuddecly
Thyestes, soa
of Pelops, ap-
peared before
him and said,
3860
3864
3868
"Leave
Theseus and tell
my tragedy
first. Never
was there one
more terrible."
3872
3876
So Bochas
paused to
3880 listen.
3884
"John," said
Thyestes, "my
brother Atreus
was a great
3888 scoundrel.
3860. Whilom]) Sumtyme R — sone] ^ sone H.
3863. for] om. R.
3865. that thou anon] anone at thou do R.
3867. Leue] Leff B — now] om. R.
3868. that] at R. 3870. sih R. 3871. nor] neithir R.
3875. ay] euer R. 3876. haueth] hath R, H.
3877. euere] om H.
3883. his] the R.
io8
but I trusted
him as a
brother should.
I knew no
wrong in him.
There it no
need of my
telling you
about the great
Atreus and Thyestes [bk.
And all other in fraude doth precell,
Whos couert hate is more than I can tell —
I supposyng, ofF verray innocence,
In hym no malice, deceit, nor offence,
But as a brother sholde his brother triste,
I trusted hym off herte, will & thouht;
Bi apparence non othir cause I wiste.
For in his persone I supposid nouht
That euer he koude so fals a thywg ha wrouht.
But who may soner a-nother man deceyue,
Than he in whom no malice men conceyue ?
I dempte off hym as off my trewe brother,
Wenyng he hadde feithful been to me;
I sauh no signe, nor I kneuh non other,
In hym supposyng no duplicite.
But, o alias, how myhte it euer be.
Or who dede euer in any story fynde
Blood onto blood to be so onkynde!
I will passe ouer to telle the worthynesse,
Touchyng thestatis off our progenytours,
3892
3896
3900
3904
[p. 49]
3908
torth and ^nT Off our kynrccdc, and the gret noblesse.
bility of our
ancestors.
I telle no thyng, nor off our predecessours.
Nor off my youthe how passid been the flours —
I leue al this, and onto mynde call 39"
The wrechidnesse that I am in fall.
My brother My brothit fond a fals occasioun
falsely accused » r n i r
me of corrupt- A-geyn[eJs me, and gan a cause teyne
ing his wifes rj.^ ban[y]she me out off our regiouw.
virtue, exiled
me from our
country and
tried to kill
me
3916
And gan at me off hatrede so disdeyne,
Vpon me affermyng in certeyne.
In our kyngdam, which callid is Missene,
I sholde haue ley[e]n bi his wiff the queene. 3920
This he compassid ful falsli off malis,
Hymsilff weel knowyng that it was nat so,
Ay founde onkynde, and in his auys
3889. doth] he dothe H 5, P — precell] excelle R.
3892. nor] ne non R, nor noon H 5, J. 3893. his]a R.
3895. Bi] For bv H.
3902.] I see notnyng neithir I knowe non othir R.
3910. nor] nethir R, neither P, H 5. 3912. onto] to R.
3915. began R. 3917- hi gan R.
3920. I sholde] In shuld R. 3922. nat] no R.
3923. Ay] Eurre R.
BK. l]
Atreus and ThyesUs
109
3932
3936
3940
Nat lik my brother, but my dedli fo; 3924
And to encrece gret parcell off my wo,
Bi long processe in his entencioun
He ymagined my destruccioun.
And his cheefF cause was fals[e] couetise, 3928
Touchyng this thyng which he dede on me feyne;
And yit this kyngdam, treuli to deuise,
Shold haue be partid of riht atwen vs tweyne:
But a-geyn trouthe he dede so ordeyne
Me to exile* out off that regioun,
Hymsilff allone to haue possessioun.
Yit in his herte he caste a-nother wile
To myn ondoyng and desolacioun:
To the place where he me dede exile,
Vnder a shadwe off fals collusioun
To make a maner reuocacioun,
Off brethirheed shewyng a pretense,
Me to resorte a-geyn to his presence,
To be accepted, as a brother sholde,
With ful accord stille with hym tabide,
All iniuries, off which affom I tolde,
On outher part forgete & set a-side.
That nothyng afftir sholde our loue deuyde;
But of oon will and oon entencioun
Leede al our liff withoute dyuysioun.
Wheroff the peeple was ful glad and liht
Thoruhout Missene the myhti regioun.
At my resortyng fyndyng euery wiht
Redi off herte and hool affeccioun
Me to receyue into that noble toun;
And noon so redy, bi signes out shewyng,
To make me cheer, in soth, as was the kyng.
There is no damage in comparisoun.
That may be likned, bi no rassemblaunce.
To feyned trouthe and symulacioun.
because he
wanted the en-
tire kingdom
for himself.
Afterwards he
pretended re-
pentance,
3944
3948
and we made up
our differences.
which pleased
our subjects,
who received
me back gladljr.
3952
3956
There is noth-
ing worse than
fraud hid under
an honest face,
3924. but] bud lik R.
3928. This and the next txoo stanzas are transposed with the
following four in R.
393 1, departid R — of riht] trewly H.
3933- exile] besile B, R, J, besyle H 5 (exile H, P, R 3). .
3937. did me R. 3940. he shewyng H. 3944. tofomr H.
3945. partye R — forgot H. 3947. all off 00 will R.
3949. was] were R — J, P om. the four following stanzas.
3950. the] that R. 3953. receyue] resorte R.
no
Atreus and Thyestes
[bk. I
Thus I came
home. My
brother acted
as if he were
overwhelmed
with joy,
Whan fraude is hid with a fair contenauwce,
Pretendyng trouthe outward hi disseyuauwce, 3960
And vndirnethe, off most fals entent,
Off doubilnesse darith the serpent.
As vnder floures is shroudid the dragouw,
For to betraisshe bi sodeyn violence 3964
like a snake Such folk as haue no suspeciouw,
beneath flowers, y^ ,. . ■
rJut treuli meene in ther peur innocence,
Til thei be cauht dispurueied off difFence,
As is a fissh with bait off fals plesauwce, 3968
The hook nat seyn, to brynge hym to myschauwce.
Thus semblabli, at myn horn comyng
I was receyued with eueri circumstauwce,
Lich as halfF heir and brother to the kyng; 3972
And he, pretendyng, as bi contenauwce,
That he hadde so inli gret plesauwce
Off my repair, off* trouthe he tolde so.
For, reioisshyng, saide he wolde go 3976
Onto his goddis to doon sum obseruauwce
For this accord, and humble sacrefise,
Made his mynystris with feithful attendaunce
Tawaite on me in al ther beste wise; 3980
It nedith nat to tellyn nor deuise,
Nor in writyng in bookis for to sette
HalfF the ioie he made whan we mette.
First how freendli he dede me embrace 3984
Off hertli gladnesse withynwe his armis tweyne.
And how for ioie the teris on his face
Ful entierli gan doun distill & reyne,
That, for my part, I koude me nat restreyne, 3988
But that I muste off frenshipe fraternall
Weepe as dede he in his estat roiall.
Innocent lambs The wiH wolff that cast hym to deuoure [p. 50]
tricked. The celi lamb, which can no diffence, 3992
Nor non helpe hymseluen to socoure,
So feeble he is to make resistence,
Which demeth trouthe off fals apparence —
What wonder ist the fraude nat conceyued, 3996
Thouh such lambes onwarli be deceyued ?
3964. be trausse R. 3975- ofT] & off B, H.
3980. Tawaite] To wate R. 3981. nor] ne R.
3982. Nor] Neithir R — in] bi R.
3984. enbrace H. 3988. partie R.
3992. no] non R, noon J. 3993. Nor] Ne R — hym sIlfF R.
and we em-
braced one an'
other weeping.
BK.
1]
Atreus and Thyestes
III
Thouh that roses at mydsomer be ful soote,
Yit vndimethe is hid a ful sharp spyne;
Summe fressh[e] floures han a ful bittir roote, 4000
And lothsum gall can sugre eek vndermyne;
In dreedful stormys the sonne among doth shyne,
And vnder a shadwe off feyned freendliheed,
Ther is no frenship so pereilous for to dreed. 4004
Thus remembryng the feithful woordis stable
Off my brother shewed onto me,
At our meetyng the kyssyng amyable,
Thassurid couenantis off our fraternite — 4008
But ofFte tyme men may beholde and see
That lelies growe among these netlis thikke,
And flourdelis amyd these weedie wikke.
Thus whil I restid in the kyngis hous, 4012
Nothyng aduertyng his dedli cruelte,
His olde hatreed was so venymous
And so odible to destroie me,
HymsilfF tauenge he took my childre thre, 4016
And secreli — ^ is it nat a wonder? —
He kutte her throtes with a knyf assonder.
For he thouhte that it dede hym good
Hem to dismembre into pecis smale, 4020
And in a vessel for to gadre ther blood,
Whil thei lay still & loked on hym* ful pale.
This was his deede in a desert vale,
Withynne a kaue, that no man sholde espie 4024
Tresoun conspired off his fals tirawnye.
This was the substaunce off his sacrefise,
To sle my childre & do ther throtis bleede!
I trowe the goddis therofF dede agrise, 4028
Off his fals off ryng whan thei token heede.
He dede ther membris afftir roste & seede,
And with this viauwde most abhomynable
He made me be serued at the table. 4032
Midsummer
roses are
fragrant, but
there are sharp
thorns beneath.
No friendship
is more danger-
ous than one
that is feigned.
\\hile I dwelt
in my brother's
house, suspect-
ing nothing, he
cut the throats
of my three
children,
dismembered
them,
and had them
roasted and
served up to
me at table.
3998. Thofe \)t Roos R 3 — that] the P.
4001. sugre eek] al so suger R, J.
401 1, amyd] In myddis R, J, H 5, among H, amonge R 3
weedis] wides J.
4017. secreli] sikyrly R — it is not R.
4022. &] om. H — hym] hem B — ful] om. R, J, P, H 5.
4027. do ther throtis] make ther hertis R, J, H 5,
4032. me be serued] be s/rruyd me H.
112
Atreus and Thyestes
[bk. I
I am sure the
gods were dis-
pleased. Even
the sun was
8o horrified
that he
shrouded
his light.
In couert cruses, also thus it stood,
To staunche my thrust, thoruh his cruel vengaunce
He made me vnknowe to drynke ther blood.
Was nat this thyng to goddis displesaunce ? 4036
Yis, I dar sey[e]n; for hi demonstrauwce,
Vpon this deede, withoute mor obstacle,
The Sonne in heuene shewed a myracle.
Which sore agrisid* myht[e] nat beholde
With his bemys theron to caste his siht,
For displesaunce his clernesse gan withholde,
And for vengaunce to withdrawe his liht.
The day turnyng for horrour onto nyht.
Whan he shon brihtest in his mydday speer,
Shrowded his face and wolde nat appeen
4040
4044
Unwittingly I But I, allas, vpon this cas horrible,
ate my children ' ' x
and drank
their blood,
which grieves
me so that I
can hardly
speak of it.
4048
Bochas, did
you ever hear
of a more un-
happy man?
That koude nat ymagyne nouther thynke
On ony mater that was so odible,
Eet off ther flessh & off ther blood dede drynke.
Which so sore doth in myn herte synke.
That I may nat, touchyng this auenture, 4052
The circuwstaunces for constreynt to discure.
It nedith me nat to make rehersaile
Touchyng myn exil, off alle maner thynges,
Off dyuers sorwes that me dede assaile, 4056
My woful sihhes, nor my greuous wepynges,
Nor vpon nyhtes my dolorous wakynges,
My pouert[e], nor how I stood in dreed
To lese my liff; wheroff, Bochas, tak heed, 4060
And remembre alle [the] circuwstaunces:
Yiff euer thou sauh, off hih or low degre,
Mor contrari or mor onhappi chaunces,
Than thou herd remembrid heer off me. 4064
Weie in ballauwce my sorwes, and lat see
Yiff any sorwe or myscheuys onrecurid
May countirpeise to that I haue endurid!
4035. to] om. R.
4037. demonstracion R.
4040. sore agrisid] for agrisid B, H, R 3 — myhtnat B.
4042. bi gan R. 4048. nethir R.
4050. &] om. R — dede] also did I R. 4051. in] too R.
4053. circumstaunce R — to] om. R. 4057. nor] ne R.
4058, 9. Nor] Neithir R.
4061. the] om. H, R 3 — circumstaunce H 5, syrcumstaunce P.
4063. chaunce P, H 5. 4066. mischeefFR.
BK. l]
Atreus accuses Thyestes
113
M)m infortunyes, I fond hem ay so fell, 4068
Withoute fauour & socour dispurueied,
My brother euer on me so cruell,
That I ful ofFte desired to haue deied;
For to this day my sperit hath be conveied 4072
With sorwe and wo, deuoid off al refuge,
Wherfore I pray, O Bochas be my iuge,
And in thi writyng lefF me nat behynde, [p. 51]
Nor in thi book[e] that thou nat disdeyne 4076
Among tho folk that thou ha[ue] me in mynde,
Which that for sorwe weepe, waile & pleyne,"
And thus Thiestes, rehersyng al his peyne,
Lich as he wolde hymsilfF on pecis reende, 4080
Maad onto Bochas off his tale an eende.
You mu« not
leave me out
of your book
of tragedies!"
[How Atreus accusid himsilf of mordre and his
brothir vpon auoutry don wit/i Europa the
quene.] ^
ATREUS afFtir, with a ful pale cheer,
And off envie ful ded in his visage,
Onto lohn Bochas gan* approche neer, 4084
Lich as he hadde be fallen in a rage,
And furiousli abraid in his langage,
" How may this be, that lik a man wer wood,
Thiestes hath his venym sowe a-brod, 4088
And lik a rebaude falsli me accusid,
Nat-withstandyng that I ful cleerli see
Myn infortunyes, which may nat be refusid.
So sore, alias, thei werke ageyn[e]s me! 4092
And thouh Thiestes fals & ontrewe be.
And to the, Bochas, with a face pale
Ageyn[e]s me hath forged heer a tale
Which in effect shal be founde ontrewe, 4096
Yiff I ha[ue] space my compleynt to declare.
For I purpose to telle a tale newe
Fro poynt to poynt, & for no man to spare,
4076. Nor] Neithir R.
4084. gan] he gan B, H, P, R 3, began J, byganne H 5 — he
began to proche R — approche] to approche H 5.
4087. wer] most R 3.
4091, which t)at R. 4094. to] vnto R.
^ MS. J. leaf 22 recto.
At this, Atreuj
appeared, pale
»-ith an^r,
and said:
"TTiyestes
lies like the
ribald and
madman be is.
and you, too.
Bochas, are
telling tales
about me.
114
Atreus accuses Thyestes
[bk.
Si* ThSsies ^^^ ^^ ^^^ roote & ground off al my care, 4100
was the cause And cucnc Hk as it is befall
of all my mis- -nil rr n
fortunes. Kehcrse the gynnyng orr my sorvves all.
Whilom whan I regned in Messene,
Off age lusti, flouryng in my fresshnesse, 4104
With my wyfF Europa, that was queene,
Most renommed that tyme off hir fairnesse,
Thiestes thanwe, ground off al falsnesse,
As a traitour his tyme dede espie, 4108
Thoruh his fals fraude & his flat[e]rie
Compassid a mene withynne my cite
Bi sleihti wilis that were incomparable,
To corrupte my wyuys chastite, 4112
Mi bed defoulyng, a thyng intollerable,
And to the goddis verray abhomynable —
Vsyng the queen to his flesshli plesauwce.
Til onto tyme that bi continuaunce 4116
She bi hym hadde sonys too or thre,
Echon brouht forth in fals auout[e]rye.
Deemyng euer that thei hadde be
Myn owne childre, til that I dede espie, 4120
How that this swyn thoruh his fals lecherie,*
This Thiestes, afFtir Europa,
Lay bi his doubter callid Pellopia.
And bi processe foorth a child she brouhte, 4124
Callid Egistus, which whan he cam to age,
As seith Bochas, ful gret tresoun he wrouhte;
For bi his malice and his gret outrage
Destroied was al hooli the lynage 4128
Off Tantalus, which bi his lyuyng
In Frigia regned as lord and kyng.
They cast But this Egistus, ofF whom I spak afForn,
Egisthus out ^ , -, , ° S .
to wild beasts, t alsii bcgote, myn auctour writ the same, 4132
scandair' OfF Pclopia, anou as he was born.
To hide the sclaundre & also the difFame
OfF Thiestes, and for to saue his name,
4102. begynnywg R.
4103. WhilomJ Summe tyme R — Misseene H.
4104. my] om. H. 4106. hirjom. R. 4107. as grounde R.
4108. dede espie] aspie R. 4115. to] om. R,
4119. euer] om. R, H. 4120. children R.
4121. lecherie] trecherie B. 4125. he] l>at he R.
413 1, to fom R. 4132. wryteth R.
He corrupted
Europa ray
wife by his
fraud and flat-
tery, an intoler-
able thing to
do, and an
abomination
to the gods,
and had two
or three sons
by her, which
I thought my
own. After-
wards this swine
had a son,
Egisthus, Ijy
his own
daughter.
BK. l]
Atreus accuses TbyesUs
Whan that he was but a day ofF age,
He was out cast to beestis ful sauage
To be deuoured, the story is weel kouth,
A mylch[e] goot God list for hym prouyde,
To fostren hym in his tendre youth,
He day & nyht hggyng bi hir side.
Withynne the forest thus he dede abide
Onto tyme that he gan growe in age;
Thanne to the court he holdeth his passage,
As onknowe to eueri maner wiht,
Wher he herde, abidyng in houshold,
OfF his kenreede, & how, ageyn al riht,
Thiestes was presumptuous and bold,
Bi his deceytis* compassid manyfold,
With Europa my wiff to haue a-do.
And on Pelopia begat a child also.
Which was hymsilff, as he dede vndirstonde
Bi euydencis many mo than on.
Wherfore off malice he took on honde,
On me, his vncle, tauengid been anon.
For Thiestes, cheuest off all my fon,
Myn owne brothir, made Egistus blyue
To make a suerd thoruhout myn herte ryue.
Thus bi this moordre, conspired bi tresoun.
On me Atreus, Hggyng pale and ded,
Cam Thiestes to haue* possessioun,
And sette a crowne oniustli on his hed.
He nouther hadde conscience nor dreed,
Routheles to see my woundis bleede,
With this that he myhte in my land succeede.
This same Egistus, ful falsli in his lifF,
As a yong braunche spronge out off tresoun.
Lay bi Clymestra, which that was the wifF
OfF the noble worthi kyng Agamenoun,
Liggyng a-siege tofFor Troie toun.
And this Egistus, which is a thyng nat fair,
Moordred hym also in Grece at his repair.
4136
4140
4144
4148
4152
4156
115
but he was
fostered bv a
goat and grew
up and came
to my court,
where he
Itamed who his
parer.ts were.
Incited by
Thyeite*, he
ran a sword
through Tcy
heart.
[P
.52]
4160
4164
I hus Thyestes
bccine kLig.
416S
Egisthuj after-
wards was the
paramour of
Cl)temiiestra.
and m-ifdered
Agamex.non.
4172
4139. mylke H, R 3 — prouvde] punieie R.
4141. He] by H — nyht & day R.
4145- This and the next three stanzas are om. in R, J.
4149. dece\tes] desertis B. 4156. cheuest]cheff H, chefe R 3.
4158. r>'ue] arrive H. 4161. han B.
ii6
Atreus and Thyestes
[bk. I
Jocasta, or
mine?
I admit I
roasted Thyes-
tes' children,
but he begot
themonEuropa,
my wife; and
although murder
and treason are
hateful, he
wronged me
first.
Wherfore, O Bochas, off herte I pray[e] the,
Which story. Which ofF these stories is now most terrible ? —
Bochas, IS most rr i
terrible, that of (JlT JLClippUS, lOCaSta, Ot Oft me?
QidipuS, of r^-. II -ff -I -11
1 elle on anon, yirr it be possible, 4176
Which off ther* sorwes is founde most penyble,
OfF Theban brethre, most ful off wo & teene,
Or off vs tweyne brethern off Missene ?
I am a-knowe, as for my partie, 4180
OfFvengaunce I dede a cruel deede:
I slouh his childre ofF malice & envie
And rosted hem, whan that thei wer dede»
Onli because, yifF thou list take heede, 4184
That he begat hem, as roote ofF al this strifF,
Vpon Europa, which that was my wifF.
Such hatful thyngis echman sholde lothe,
Which appertene to moordre and to tresoun: 4188
Thus may I seyn, we been vnhappi bothe,
He first bi trespas ofF fornycaciouw
Doon bi the queen withynwe my regioun,
And I, disclauwdrid, on the tothir side, 4192
OfF hasti vengaunce to been an homycide.
My bed he fouled bi his auoutrie,
To God & man a thyng most detestable;
And I ofF malice and fals malencolie 4196
Slouh his childr^? & serued hem atte table.
Thus entirchaungyng, yifF it be comendable,
Ech was desirous, thoruh our vnhappi chauwce,
Vpon other for to do vengaunce, 4200
Our gret hatreede, most odious founde att all,
Our cruel deedis wrouht on outher side,
Senech rehersith hem in especiall
In his tragedies; and ther he doth deuyde 4204
Our compleyntis, our malice & our pride.
Our fatal eende in sorwe & myscheefF fyned,
Whan Antropos our lyuys threed hath twyned."
It was tip for
tap,
and Seneca
tells all about
us in his
tragedies."
4174. now] om. R, J.
4177. ther] these B — founde] om. J, R, H 5 — sorwes] stones
4178. brethern R. 4179. Mycene P. 4180. for] om. R.
4182. &] & of R. 4184. bi cause repeated in R.
4188. 2nd to] om. R. 4190. He] The R.
4194. he fouled] defoulid R.
4206. fyned] feyned R.
BK. l]
An Envoy on Brotherly Strife
Whan lohn Bochas fulli hadde espied 420S
Off these too brethre thaccusaciouns,
And how thel hadde maliciousli replied
Ech ageyn other in ther discenciouns,
He gan duUe to heere ther mociouns, 4212
Put vp his penne, & wrot nat mor a woord
Off the[r] furie nor off ther fals discord.
pLenvoy.]
THIS tragedie sheweth a figure,
A maner ymage & also a liknesse, 4216
How contrari it is onto nature,
Blood onto blood to shewe onkynd[e]nesse.
This woful story can her [ful] weel witnesse.
All such debatis been, as ye shal fynde, 4220
Hatful to God and contrary onto kynde.
For there is non mor dreed ful auenture,
Than in kynredis to fynde frowardnesse,
Nor no damage mor pereilous to endure, 4224
Than in frenshepes whan there is straungenesse
A maner parti; bexaumple I dar expresse,
To seen the tre debate ageyn the rynde,
To God were hatful and contrary onto kynde. 4228
Eueri beeste and eueri creature
Loueth his semblable, off kyndli riht, I gesse;
And whan on trouthe* tweyne hertis assure,
Vndepartid, off verray parfitnesse, 4232
It were a vicious froward cursidnesse,
Ther loue so knet, to losne it or onbynde,
Hatful to God and contrari onto kynde.
Prynds, Pryncessis, doth your besi cure 4236
Fro you tauoide striff, fraude & doubilnesse,
Remembrith you vpon thunhappi eure
Off these too brethre & off ther wrechidnesse,
And off ther bothe malicious wilfulnesse, 4240
And how ther stryues — hath this weel in mynde —
To God was hatful and contrary onto kynde.
4208. had fully H. 4212. began R — ther] the R.
4213. nat] no R, H, R 3.
4214. nor] neithir R.
4219. ful weel] om. P. 4220. as] om. H.
4225. Frenshippe R. 4227. ayenst R.
4231. ontruthe B. 4234. losne it] louse R.
4238. Remembre R — eure] cure R, 4241- haveth R.
117
After hearing
the stories of
these two
brothers,
Bochas put
away
his pen and
refused to write
another word
about them.
This tragedy
shews how
hateful
brotherly
strife is to
God and
Nature.
Nothing is
more dreadful
than enmity
between
relations.
Every living
creature lo%e$
his fellow of
natural right.
It were a
vicious deed to
make them
quarrel.
Princes and
Princesses, try
to avoid
strife, fraud,
and deceit;
such things
are very
hateful
to God.
II!
The Story of Theseus
[bk. I
Athens wns
once called the
nurse of phi-
losophers and
sun of all
Its renown
shone in every
land,
[Off Duk Theseus and Adriane ^at saued his liflf
in the Caue/ and how he lik a forsworn man
forsook hir and weddid faire Phedra/ whiche
aftirward slouh hirsilf .] ^
ATHENES whilom, whaw it was in his
flour^s, . [P- 53]
Was callid norice of philisophres wise, 4244
Princesse off poetis & expert oratour^s,
Sonwe off all sciences, as clerkis can deuise,
Whens al cunwyng most cleerli dede arise.
Named off Grece the lanterne and the liht, 4248
Which thoruh al erthe shadde his beemys briht.
With noble titles, which been out off nou?nbre,
In eueri coost his renoun dede shyne,
The fame theroff was clipsed with non 0U77ibre, 4252
All other scooles it dede so enlumyne;
For in that cite, pleynli to termyne.
Off the seuene artis, as doun from on* hedspryng,
Ther ran out ryuers and stremys off al cunwyng. 4256
These sciences were callid liberall,
Onli off fredam, fraunchise and liberte;
For off a stok that were preued thrall,
Ther sholde no brauwche studie in that cite, 4260
But thilke blood that were fouwde fre,
Bothe be discent & lyneal hih noblesse,
Ther to scoleie sholde haue interesse.
This cite was sacrid to Mynerue, 4264
For ther wisdam and ther sapience;
Off Mercurie the feestis thei obserue,
For rethorik and for eloquence;
And myhti Mars gaff hem influence 4268
With glade aspectis, ther parti to a-mende.
Noblesse off knyhthod ther clergie to diffende.
and was famous This touw was nobleicd be title of other thynges,
for its dukes a i i • i i • i
and kings, And most glorious reknyd m that age 4272
The^usTs^lTof Be successiouw off dukes and off kynges,
^geus,
4246. Sunne^ Som^ H. 4248. Name R.
4253. scooles] om. R. 4254. determyne R.
4255. on] an B, H. 4256. stremys & Ryvers H.
4260. Ther] The R. 4266. thei] om. R.
4270. ther] the R. 4273- 2nd ofQom. R.
IMS. J. leaf 22 verso.
and only free
men of good
family could
study there.
The city was
sacred to
Minerva
BK. l]
The Story of Theseus
119
A-mong[es] which duk Theseus bi lynage,
Sone off Egistus, ful fressh off his corage,
Excellyng* alle of prudence & manheed^f 4276
That euer dede the crowne ther posseed^.
For to that cite, thoruh his hih noblesse,
In ther diffencis such trust, such [af]fiaunce
He gaff to hem bi his expert prowesse, 4280
Off his triumphes so gret habundaunce.
And speciaH ther renoun to auaunce.
He made hem fre ther truage for to lete
Ageyn Mynos the myhti kyng off Crete. 4284
For bi his force, the story is weel kouth,
Them to fraunchise and al that regioun.
The Mynotaur he slouh in tendre youth;
And afftirward he off deuocioun, 4288
Taquite hymsilff[e] lik a champioun,
Theroff made solempne sacrefise
To lubiter in most humble wise;
And in a theatre callid Maratoun, 4292
Duk Theseus hadde this victorie.
Afftir he wente to Colchos with lasoun,
Cheeff off counseil, as makid is memorie.
And bi processe to augmente his glorie, 4296
With Hercules his brother to conveie,
Geyn Amazones he wente to werreie, —
Conquered hem, his manhod was weel seene,
His force, his noblesse in that mortal stryff. 4300
And afftir that, Ypolita the queene
This Theseus took onto his wiff.
And for his brother he list iuparte his liff,
Duk Pirotheus, whan he dede vndirtake 4304
The centaures to outraie for his sake.
This centaures poetis specefie,
And Seruyus maketh mencioun,
How thei were whilom engendrid on a skie, 4308
Whan first ther fadir, callid Yrion,
Was enamourid, ful many day agon,
4275. ofT] in R. 4276. Excellyng] Excelsyng B.
4279. fiauwce] H, R 3. 4284. Ageynst R.
4292. theatre] tiatre R. 4293. this] the R.
4295. made R, H. 4296. bi] om. R. 4298. Ayens R.
4303. list iuparte] leyde in iupardie R.
4308. on]ofH, P, R3. 4310. many a R.
who slew the
Minotaur and
freed the
Athenians from
their tribute,
was the most
excellent.
Afterwards
Theseus went
to Colchos
with Jason and
to Femenye
with Hercules,
where he mar-
ried Hippolyte.
He also con-
quered the cen-
taurs, creatures
begotten on a
cloud by Ixion,
Juno's
secretary.
I20
Theseus and the Centaurs
[bk.
who fell in
love with his
mistress, and
she, disdaining
him, took the
likeness of a
cloud.
which in his
folly he be-
lieved to be
ber.
The centaurs
were half man,
half horse.
They tried to
carry away
Pirithous' wife
Hippodamia,
but Theseus
subdued them.
Vpon luno, because she was so fair,
Gouerneresse and goddesse off the hair. 4312
This Yrion was hir secretarie,
And for hir fairnesse & excellent beute,
Loued hir ful hote, al-be she was contrarie
To his desir, in Bochas ye may see. 4316
Hym to delude, he writith, how that she
Hirsilff transfourmyd, as she [that] myhte & koude,
Into the liknesse off an heuenli cloude,
This Yrion pleynli supposyng 4320
It was hirsilff, and euene thus he wrouhte.
The cloude enbracyng, withoute mor tarieng, —
Off his foli the goddesse there he souhte;
And with ther medlyng atwen hem foorth thei
brouhte 4324
The centauris, these beestis merueilous,
Which off nature be founde monstruous.*
Halff man, halff hors, [dejpartid thus on
tweyne, [p. 54]
And wonderful bi ther descripciouw, 4328
Off fals[e] malice dede hemselff ordeyne
On Pirotheus to make invasioun,
And hym to putte out off possessioun
Off his wiff, callid Ypodamen, 4332
And hir to rauysshe, maugre all his men.
Ther were off hem an hundred [as] in nouwbre,
Swifft as the wynd 4n ther cours renwyng.
Which off malice cast hem to encouwbre 4336
Duk Pirotheus the day off his weddyng,
And to rauysshe his wiff at ther comyng,
Yiff for his parti ther were no diffence
Ageyn ther power to make resistence. 4340
But Theseus list nat to delaie
Pirotheus his brother to diffende.
First the centaures he knyhtli dede outraie
So mortalli, thei durste hym nat offende; 4344
Afftir this conquest to helle thei descende,
4312. Gouirrnesse R, P, H J.
4315. al be it R. 4320-4515.] om. U, fol. missing.
4326. monstruous] contrarious B, R 3, P — ther nature R.
4327. on] in R, J. 432?. And] A R.
4330. invasioun] inuocacion R.
4343. knyhtly he did R, J. 4345. this] the R, Jje J.
BK. l]
Theseus and Piritbous
121
Duk Pirothe and worthi Theseus,
Maugre the daunger off cruel Cerberus.
There thei rauysshe in ther mortal teene,
Thoruh ther knyhthod, yifF ye Hst to lere,
Despiht off Pluto, Proserpyna the queene,
Which off lubiter was the douhter deere.
And Pirotheus fond first the manere
Off wilful force, thoruh his hih renoun,
Rewmys to conquere and holde possessioun.
But bi writyng sothli off Ouyde,
He pleynli tellith how duk Theseus
Arested was in hell, and muste abide,
Bi the force off cruel Cerberus;
And Pluto was to hym contrarious.
Til Pirotheus, to fynden a reles,
The cas declared onto Hercules.
Which off his knyhthod a remedi fond.
To helpe his freend [he] dede his besi peyne;
First bi his prowesse Cerberus he bond
At belle gatis with a treble cheyne,
And off his manhod he dede so ordeyne,
Duk Theseus from daunger to discharge,
Maugre Pluto for to gon at large.
Thei were in armys brethre bothe tweyne,
Louede as brethre bothe* in werre and pes.
That nouther koude onto other feyne,
Ther liff to iuparte & putte hemsilf;' in pres.
And bothe as brethre wer callid Hercules,
To signefie, poetis can weel tell.
This name in conquest all other doth excell.
Bi old[e] tyme thei that were pereles
For ther noblesse in dyuers regiouns.
All thei for manhod wer namyd Hercules,
Such as were noised for famous champiouns,
Tigres to daunte, boores and leouns.
And renommed among hem euerichon,
Bookis afferme, that Theseus was on.
4348
4352
4356
4360
Afterwards he
and Pirithous
descended into
hell, where
they made
off with
Proserpina.
But Ovid »ay»
that Theseus
was arrested in
hell and kept
there by Cer-
berus, and
subsequently
rescued by
Hercules,
AXfiA who bound
^^ ^ Cerberus with
a triple chain.
4368
4372
Theseus and
Pirithous were
brothers in
arms, and
called
Hercules,
Ax-j() a name given
to peerless
knights in old
times.
4380
4350. Preserpyna R.
4363. he] om. J.
4370. bothe] togidre B, R 3, P (both R, J, H 5).
4371. neithir R, J. 4372. lupardie R, J.
4382. Bookis] Bochas P, H 5 — afferme] affermeth R, J, P,
H5.
122 The Early Life of Theseus [bk. i
First, as I saide, bl his knyhtli trauaile,
brought Whan Athenes stood in dyuysioun 4384
peace to A-mong hcmsilfF bi werre and bi bataile,
stored exiles, Bi* his wisdam and his* discreciouw,
He sette accord withynne that noble touw:
Them that were exilid & stood in nouwcerteyn, 4388
He off his knyhthod made hem resorte ageyn;
made laws and He gafF hcm lawes wherbi thei sholde hem gie,
governed *j *
wisely, Noble statutis foundid on resouw,
Sette among hem so prudent poHcie, 4392
In ther lyuyng that no discencioun
Sholde arise bi non occasioun
A-mong hemsilfF, in hih or low estat,
Prouydyng euere that there were no debat, 4396
so that the Thus gan the cite encrece and multeplie,
city prospered ,^ ° _, . , i • i
and became the lo wcxe tamous oiT wisoam and nchesse;
first centre of f-r^i i iir rr*!*! i-
knighthood and 1 her Sprang the welle hrst oit philosophic;
p losop y. Xher first off knyhthod ros the hih noblesse, 4400
Bi Theseus, Bochas bereth witnesse:
Thus thynges too, lik as it is fouwde,
Clergie and knyhthod dede there habouwde.
And for to sette the cite in quieete, 4404
CreonTrrifurn ^6 made pcs thoruh al that regions;
the remains of ^nd off knyhthod he manli dede meete
lords slam at -;
Thebes to their Xhc ctucl titauwt that callid was Creouw,
ladies. A /r 1 i • •
Maugre hym made restituciouw 4408
Off lordis bonys, that were at Thebes slayn,
To the ladies, wheroff thei were ful fayn.
Theseus lived Thus thoruh Grcce abrod his renoun spradde; [p. i;d
long in honour ^t- i i i- r i- i i-
and joy, but His knyhtli tame gan gretli multeplie, 4412
turned her'^face And longe in ioie thus his liff he ladde,
anf threw hiS Whil that Fortune list hym magnefie:
whTei/"'™ *"" But ay hir gladnesse is meynt with sum envie.
For she, froward, list no mor soiourne 4416
With Theseus, but gan hir face tourne
4386. 7 are transposed in B. 4386. 2nd his] bi his B.
4387. He]ToR.
4388. stooden R.
4391. founde R — on] of J.
4397. bigan R, J. 4403. knyhthod] lawe J, H 5, lowe R.
4404. And] om. R, J. 4412. began R, bigan J.
4417. began R, J, H 5.
BK. i] Theseus forsakes Ariadne 1 23
Awey from hym, wex peruers and froward,
Off his glorie* ongoodli gan to dulle,
Doun from hir wheel she made [him] go bakward, 4420
Off his good fame she gan the fethres pulle;
Whan his noblesse was hiest at the fulle —
I meene the fulle off his felicite —
Ther folwed an ebbe off gret aduersite. 4424
And, morouer, hir frowardli to quite. After he h»d
' , . ' ^ ^ slam the
His onhappis rehersyng on bi on, Minouur
On the firste, as Bochas list endite,
Was whan he lay in Crete among his fon, 4428
And out off prisoun sholde into Grece gon,
Repeiryng homward & hymsilff withdrawe,
The Mynotaur whan he hadde slawe.
The firste emprise that he vndirtook, 4432
Was whan he scaped thymportable peyne
Off Mynotaurus, lik as seith my book, AriadnT^fo
And with hym ladde the kyngis douhtren tweyne, "^'^"^ *>'» ''f^-
That he off malice falsli list disdeyne 4436
Geyn Adriane, which that dede hym saue
From the deth, whan he lay in the caue.
Sholde ha be slayn, hadde nat hir socour be, —
In his repair he took theroff non heed; 4440 phld^a"'^
He leffte hir sool* in gret aduersite
Withynne an yle, in myscheeff, sorwe & dreed.
And fair[e] Phedra with hym he dede leed,
Weddid hir, lik a forswore man: /\'\^'\
Thus with ontrouthe his myscheeff first began.
How Phedra quit hir, — the story is weel knowe — Phedra fell in
In his absence, Bochas writith thus, poiytus, who
WTian that she, withynne a litil throwe, 4448
Loued ageyn kynde his sone Ypolitus;
But he to hire was contrarious,
4419. gloire B — gan to dulle] be gan to double R, gan to
double J.
4420. him] om. R, J, P, R 3, H 5.
4421. fame she gan] name she bigan R, J. 4422. the] om. J.
4425. to aquyte R, J. 4427. to endite R, J.
4433. escapid R, J. 4435. ladde] hadde R, had J.
4437. Geyn] Ayens R, Ayenst J.
4441. sool] soul B, alone H 5.
4446. hir] om. R — knowe] om. R, coulje J.
4449. his]hirj, P, Hs.
124 Phcedra and Hippolytus [bk. i
Nolde [not] assente to so foul a deede;
For shame he fledde, & parcel eek for dreede, 4452
was killed, as To his fadcr for she hym dede* accuse,
ready seen. As ye tofom ha[ue] the story sayn.
And for he dede hir cumpany refuse,
He wente his way & cam neuer agayn; 4456
For ye haue herd[e] how that he was slayn
Withynne a char, thoruh his vnhappi chaunce,
And how Phedra throuh myscheefF & vengaunce
She then slew Slouh hirsclfF, ageyn al womanheed — '4460
herself; and all __ . i • i i r t i i
this Theseus Hcer m this book totorn as 1 you tolde.
a^puntshment^ Of which[e] thyng, whan Theseus took heed,
Ariadne^""''"^ Thouhte it was vengaunce for his ofFencis olde;
For he nat quit hym lik as he was holde 4464
To Adriane, which sholde ha been his wifF,
Bi whos socour he scaped with the lifF.
This infortune* and this vnhappi chaunce
Was to his noblesse ful contrarious. 4468
The deth also was to hym* a vengaunce
Off his sone callid Ypolitus,
For sorwe off whom, this duk Theseus
With salte teris sore gan compleyne 4472
At the exequies off these ilke tweyne.
He wept bitter I ttowe also it dede hym sore greue,
funeral and Duk Pirotheus whan he sauh li ded,
TrtevS'^Vhen Slayn with a beeste, & myht[e] nat releue, — 4476
!iiin^by'c"r- Kyug Orchus hound, which hadde a treble hed,
berus. Whos teth horrible off his blood were red.
Which infortunye, whan he gan beholde,
Onto the deth he felte his herte colde. 4480
And for to rekne the grete wrechidnessis,
sorrow was that Thunhappi chaunccs that fill hym in his liff.
enceto'phxdra.Amongis alle his other gret distressis,
he gave jcred-
"ra, _
Was non so mortal nor so ful off striff 4484
As whan that he gaff credence to his wiff,
4451. not] om. R 3. 44S2- eek] also R.
4453. hym dede] dede hym B.
4456. his way] away R, J, P, H 5.
4464. holde] beholde R, J. 4466. the] his R.
4467. infortune] Infortunye B. 4469. to hym was also B.
4472. bigan R, bigan to pleyne J.
4473. At] And R, J — these] the R, l>e J.
4475. sauh li] sih be R, sije be J. 4479. infortune R, J.
4484. nor] ne J.
BK. l]
Princes should not be unjust
125
Phedra callid, which off entencioun
Compassid ontreull an accusacioun
Vpon YpoHtus, off hatreed and envie, 4488
Because he nolde do so gret offence
As for tassente to hir lecherie;
Therfore off deth he felte the violence.
And for his fader to soone gaff credence, 4492
Bochas forbit husbondis al ther lyues,
Withoute preeff, nat leeue to soone her wyues,
Nor be [to] hasti talis for to leeue [p. 56]
Off flaterers in chaumbre nor at table; 4496
Forgers of lesyngis, myn auctowr doth weel preeue,
Tabide with lordis that thei be nat able.
Heeron he maketh a chapitle ful notable,
And off his writyng, this was the cause whi: 4500
That pryncis sholde examyne ech parti.
Off wisdam also and off discrecioun,
Withoute a preeff nat be parciall;
For to a prynce it is confusioun,
Yiff atween parties he be nat founde egall,
Causid many on for to haue a fall;
God suffred such nat longe to contune,*
Withdrouh ther grace & hyndred ther fortune.
and for thij
reason Bochat
forbid* hus-
band* to be-
lieve what
their wive* tell
them unless
there be proof.
and advise* u*
not to be
hasty to be-
lieve tale* of
any lort.
A prince must
be equally ynX.
to all men,
otherwise Go'J
4504 will punish
him as he did
Thescu*,
Thus Theseus for his hastynesse,
His happ, his grace discrecid day be day.
The fame appallid off his worthynesse.
And froward Fortune in a-wait eek lay,
For his diffautis to hyndre hym yiif she may;
Caste she wolde his noblesse disauaunce.
And thanne his kyngdam bi disobeisaunce
From hym withdrouh honour and reuerence,
Ful frowardli thoruh al his regiouTi.
Thei off Athenys, bi cruel violence.
Fill ageyn hym in* rebellioun,
That he was fayn to fleen out off the toun:
4508
45"
4516
4520
whose subject*
rebelled and
finally drove
him out of
hi* kingdom.
4485. whan that]] was whan R, J — he] om. J.
4486. oflF] an R, J. 4489. he] om. J.
4490. to assente J — vnto R. 4494- her] om. J.
449$. leeue] heere R, here J, H 5. 4496. nor] ne J.
4505. betwene R, J. 4507. continue B, contynue H 5.
4509. hastifnesse J. 4510. discrecid] distressid J.
4512. in a-wait eek] also in a wayte R, J.
4516. ]^ begins again. 4519. in]inaB, R3.
126 The End of Theseus I^bk. i
Thus hath Fortune dirked the brihtnesse
Off al his nobley, and cast hym in distresse.
This was the eende bi gret contrariouste
Off Theseus, afFtir his daies glade, 4524
Whan the fressh flour(?s off old felicite,
Fortune aduerse made hem for to fade;
Ech thyng mut bowwe whan it is ouer-lade,
Worshepis & honouris, whan thei brihtest shyne, 4528
With vnwar chaunges than rathest douw declyne.
[Lenvoy.]
*
The prosperity I ^HE ouseur gladnesse, the loie transitone,
of princes is ■ ^, °
subject to M. Ihunstable seurnesse, the* transmutaciouws,
The cloudi brihtnesse, the fals eclipsid glorie 4532
Off erthly pryncis which han possessiouns,
Monarchies and dominaciouws —
Ther sodeyn chauwg declareth to vs all,
Ther pompous sugre is meynt with bittir gall. 4536
Fortuna can THis blyude goddessc in hir consistorie,*
take from them ■w-rj.-,-.': . ii*if
their crowns With hir plesauwce medlith discenciouns,
and sceptres, a rr • i i • •
AiTtir tryuwphes, conquest and victone,
Reueth fro pryncis ther sceptres & ther crouns, 4540
Troubleth the peeple with fals rebelliouns:
Seeth bi these dukis, which from her wheel be fall,
Al worldli sugre is meynt with bittir gall.
as this tragedy This tragcdic maketh a memorie * 4544
Off dukis tweyne, & off ther hih renouws;
And off ther loue writ a gret historic.
And how thei conquered dyuers regiouns,
Gouerned cites, contres and eek touns, 4548
Til Fortune ther prowesse dede appall.
To shewe ther sugre was* meynt with bittir gall.
4525. flour R.
4529. doun] doth R. 4530, 32. transitoire, gloire B.
4531. the] ther B. 4534- Monarchies] & monarchies H.
4537> 39' consistoire, victoire B.
4540. fro pryncis] from kyngis R — 2nd ther] the R.
4541. Troubleth] & troublith H.
4542. her] her R.
4543. bittir] sum R.
4544. 46. memoire, histoire B.
4544. a] om. R. 4548. eek] also R.
4550. was] is B — menged R 3 — bittir] sum R, J, H 5.
BK. l]
The Danger of Unstable Princes
Pryncis, Pryncessls, seeth how deceptorie '
Been alle these worldii reuoluciouns,
And how Fortune in hir reclynatorie,
With hir triacle tempreth fals poisouns:
So merueilous been hir confecciouns,
Off frowardnesse she will, what-so be-fall,
Ay with hir sugre off custum tempre gall.
4552
4556
127
Princes, Prin-
cesses, remem-
ber that For-
tune always
tempers her
sugar with
gaU.
^ Here Bochas repreuyth all thimstabilnes of
Princis & ot)ir persones tat 3eve hasti credence
to euery report with-out preef . ^
ALTHOUH so be, in eueri maner age
Folkis be dyuers off condiciouns.
To tume, plie & chaunge in ther corage, 4560
On outher parti with sodeyn mociouns,
And for to bowe* bi transmutaciouns
With eueri wynd, as doon thunstable leuys,
WTiich hange on trees in fo testis and in greuys. 4564
But off alle chaungis, that chaung is most to dreede,
And most feerful is that variaunce.
Whan that pryncis, which may the peeple leede.
Be founde vnstable in ther gouernaunce: 4568
For ther noblesse and ther hih puissaunce
Assureth hem, bi a maner [of] fourme,
What-euer hem list taccomplisshe and parfourme.
To comoun profit thei may most auaile, [p. 57] 4572
Whan thei be reulid bi wisdam and resoun;
And to the peeple thei may most disauaile.
Whan thei lakke wit and discrecioun:
Thus atwen tweyne, in eueri regioun, 4576
4SSi> 53- deceptoire, reclynatoire B. 4556. wole so what R.
4557- Ay] Euere R. ^ The heading in J is as follows: "Here
Bochas writeth ayenst hem that yeueth hasty credence to
Hers and flaterers," MS. J. leaf 24 recto. The following
heading is in R: "In this capitle Bochas repreueth | And
blameth nat oonly princis | All hem that ouerlihtly yeueth
credence | To tuery tale & fable which is." In J, written as
an ordinary stanza: " In this Chapitle Bochas in sentence \ Re-
preue}} and blamej) not oonly princ/j | But all hewt J)at ouer-
lightly [gjeuej) credence | To eu^ry tale and fable whiche is j
Reported vn to hem [break in bandzcriting'] for sothfastnesse |
And list nothyng do as it were dewe | To prove the trouth
whefre it be fals or trewe."
4562. bowve B. 4565. This stanza is marked as in approval's. ■^.
4570. of] om. R 3. 4576. betwene R.
People are
constantly
changing in
their hearts.
but the worst
change is when
princes are
unstable;
for their sub-
jects are apt
to follow their
example.
128 The Danger of Hasty Credence [bk. i
The peeple draweth, who that can discerne,
To good or badde, as pryncis hem gouerne.
Princes must Thai may nat be to hasti nor sodeyne,
judgment But doon all thynge bi good auysement, 4580
Keepe hem from tunges that parted been on tweyne,
Nat be to rakill to yiue no iugement,
And off no folkis, whan thei been absent,
Leue no talis nor yiue no credence, 4584
Till that the parti may come to audience.
or listen to Sumwhile hath happid, how that slouh credence
readily. Hasty Hath in sum cas bc founde ful noious;
worse"than " But hasti ctedence, I dar sey in sentence, 4588
slowness of ^ thousend fold is more pereilous;
For onauysid al haste is odious: ' •
For haste ful offte, for lakkyng off resoun.
Off moch[e] peeple hath be destruccioun. 4592
There is no damage that men can purpose,
Mor to be drad nor mor lamentable.
Nothing indeed Than a prynce his eris to onclose
bedr°ea'ded. To eueti tale and to eueri fable; 459^
It is a tokne ther hertis be nat stable.
Whan thei to flatereris ther eris do* applie,
Namli to such that can weel forge and lie.
Some people Folkis be dyuers, suwme fals and suwme trewe, 4600
are false, some _ , i • i i i
are honourable; In dyuers studies doon ther besynesse;
Summe can studie to fynde out talis newe,
And sumwe for lucre can meyntene weel falsnesse
And holde up quarelis ageyn[e]s rihtwisnesse, 4604
Pretendyng trouthe vnder a fals entent
To hyndre folkis which that been innocent.
it were folly Men to suppose it were a gret foli,
8houw"aU be^ That folkis sholde in ther oppynyoun 4608
Speke or pronounce alle on o parti.
Or holde o weie in ther entencioun;
For semblabli as there is dyuysioun
4579. nor! ne to R.
4584. norj neithir R.
4586. Sumwhile] Sumtyme R.
4587. cas] om. R.
4594. norJ ne R. 4596. 2nd to] om. R.
4598. ther] thei R — do] so B, done R. 4599. forge] om. R.
4600. and] om. R. 4607. to] doe P.
461 1, a dyuysioun R, J, H s, P.
alike;
BK. i] Princes should he slow to give Judgment
129
Off* corages, off hih or low degre.
So is ther treuli a gret dyuersite
In rehersaile or report off a thyng,
For to his parti ech man is fauourable:
Sum man can sey weel in his rehersyng,
Sum man is double, & sum man deceyuable,
Sum men sey trouthe, and summe be variable;
Wherfore a prynce off riht, as it doth seeme,
Sholde weel examyne affom or that he deeme.
For there is noon mor dreedful pestilence
Than a tnnge that can flatre and fage;
For with his cursid crabbid violence
He enfectith folk* off eueri maner age.
Wo to tunges froward off ther language,
And wo to tunges fals, furious and wood.
Which off no persone neuer can sey good.
Bochas rehersith, it is riht weel sittyng
That eueri man other do comende,
And sey the beste alwey in reportyng;
For in weel-seieng may no man offende.
Where men sey weel, God will his grace sende;
Afftir men been, men mut the pris vpreise,
Lich ther meritis allowe hem or dispreise.
But wher a thyng is vttirli onknowe,
Lat no man ther been hasti off sentence;
For rihtful iuges sittyng on a rowe.
Off ther wisdam and off ther hih prudence
Will of trouthe haue first sum euydence —
I meene such as gouemed be bi grace —
Or any doom forbi ther lippis pace.
A prynce sholde assemble thyngis tweyne
Withynwe hymsilff: [affom] ful prudently
Shet up his doomys betwixe lokkis tweyne,
On off the soule, resoun for that party,
Prudence chose out, and riht for the body;
4613
therefore a
prince ought to
examine well
before he de-
4616 livers his
judgment.
4620
4612. OflGInB — ofTJinH.
4615. to] om. H. 4616. in] in all R. 4618. seyth R.
4622. flatre] flaterie R — in red in margin, MS. J. 24 c: no/a.
de falsis Unguis.
4624. infectith R — folkis B, folkes R 3 — maner] om. J.
4626. furious] froward H.
4628. it is riht weel] as it is wele R. 4629. eueri] eu^re R.
4631. no man may R, J. 4641. forth bi R — ther] the H.
4643. aflFom]om.H. 4644. betwixt R. 4645. soule] soneR.
Vs<x to
flattering,
4624 •>"'°?'
4628
4632
4636
4640
4644
slanderous
tongues!
Bochas says
we should
always speak
well of one
another.
and where we
have no knowl-
edge, we
should be
slow to
judge.
A prince should
always decide
according to
reason and
right, and take
truth and con-
science to
counsel.
130 Theseus* Impatience caused his Son's Death [bk. i
And atween bothe, or he yiue a sentence,
To couwsell calle trouthe and good conscience. 4648
He should first First to consldre with eueri circuwstauwce,
whether the DilHgentH doon theron his labour,
honestiyr*^" * Off discteciouw to take the ballauwce.
And first weie out who is thaccusour, 4652
And whethir that he for falsnesse or fauour
In his processe list for to proceede;
Heroff a prynce must off riht take heede.
and if he u a He muste also considre bi and bi, [p. 58] 4656
friend or enemy __., , , . i • i • i • i
of the accused What that he IS, which IS to hym accusid,
^^o^bad" And whethir thaccusour be freend or enmy,
report. q^. ^j^g^-i^ji. j^g g\^^\ \)QQn acceptc* or refusid
In his accus — this muste afFor be musid — 4660
And whethir he be, bi report off his name,
A man weel noised or sclaundrid bi diffame.
If Theseus had Yiff Theseus hadde be thus auysed,
done this, he., • i t rr i
would not have And considred oit resoun the maner, 4664
caused his son's tt i i j ^ l ^'l' J J
death; He hadde nat so hastih deuysed
His sonys deth, lich as ye shal ler:
For yiff ther hadde assemblid been I-feer
In his persone prudence and resoun, 4668
He sholde ha[ue] seyn in his discreciouw,
Be knowlechyng off long experience,
Off his wiff the gret onstedfastnesse,
Mysrwom°e''nare Which thotuh hir froward compassid eloquence 4672
born liars and \Yas redi cuere to brynge folk in distresse,
sometimes t£iltC
too much. As in his writyng Bochas berth witnesse.
Off ther nature women can flatre and fage,
And been sumwhile to copious off language. 4676
Also off wisdam, this duk Theseus
Shold ha[u]e considred afforn in his entent,
How that his sone, callid Ypolitus,
4647. bitwene hem both R.
4650. And diligently R — theron] ther R. . 4654. for] om. R.
4659. he"] that he R — accept] acceptid B and other MSS.
except H 5 which has accepte.
4660. accus] actis J, H 5 — this] he P, thus H 5.
4663. thus had been J, R, H 5.
4672. hir] his R. 4673. inJtoR.
4676. sum tyme R — to copious off] copioMJ of ther R.
4677. this] om. R.
BK. i] Theseus ought to have known his Son better
131
OflF al onclennesse was founde ay innocent; 4680
And how that he off custum made his went
Into forestis duryng his yong age,
To hunte at beestis which that were sauage.
Rennyng on foote, as ye shal vndirstonde, 4684
On hillis, valis teschewen idilnesse,
Mooder off vicis, with his bowe in honde,
Diane to serue off huntyng cheeff goddesse.
Suwtyme to hauke he dede his besynesse; 4688
Eek onto fisshyng he gretly was applied,
So that his youthe was neuer onocupied.
Thus he lyiied in wodis solitarie,
And off Venus despised the seruyse; 4692
A-mong[es] women he wolde neuer tarie,
Ther felashipp he dede alwey despise:
For he dempte, be sentence off the wise.
Who touchith pich, bassay men may see,* 4696
It failith nat he shal defouled be.
Ypolitus sauh weel this thyng afforn,
Kept hym at large from such contrariouste;
His greene youthe he wolde nat haue it lorn, 4700
To be diffoulid for lak off chastite:
For he lyued euer in virgynyte,
And neuer dede, Bochas wil nat varie,
Nothyng that was onto God contrarie. 4704
Thus off entent he kepte his bodi cleene
Duryng his liff, bothe in thouht & deede,
Whos mooder was Ypolita the queene
Off Amazones, in Ouyde ye may reede. 4708
But, o alias, that Theseus took heede.
For a tale off Phedra ful off gile,
Withoute gilt his sone to exile.
Afftir whos deth[e], summe poetis seyn, 4712
How that Diana, for his chastite,
Restorid hym onto lyue ageyn
Bi Esculapius, and gaff hym liberte
In hir forestis to hunten and go fre. 4716
4680. ay] euer R. 4686. in] on H, J, H £.
4689. Eek] Also R — gretly he was R. 4692. dispised R.
4694. alwey] evir H, euer P, euer R 3.
4696. Who] Who so R, J — see] weel see B — In MS. J. in red
in margin: Qui tangit picem &c.
4698.' seeh R — befome H. 4707. was] om H.
Theseus shonld
have remem-
bered that his
son was a
banter
who despised
the society of
women
and always re-
mained chaste.
His mother
was Hippolyte;
and after his
death Diana
restored him
to life and
gave him leave
to hunt in her
forests forever.
132 Bochas exclaims against Women
For which restoryng, as writ Ouidius,
As twies a man, men callid hym Virbius.
[bk. I
Bochas here
makes a great
outcry against
women and
says that they
are deceitful by
nature and like
insatiable beasts.
Heer Bochas makith an exclamacion a-geyn the
pride of vommen And thonseumes of princes.
UT Bochaj heer, I not what he doth meene,
B
Maketh in his book an exclamacioun
Ageyn[e]s women, that pite is to scene —
Seith how ther lyne, ther generacioun
Been off nature double off condiciouw,
And calhth hem eek dyuers and onstable,
Beestis rassemblyng that been insaciable.
Of course he He meneth off women that be born in Crete,
means only the -^-r 1 rr 1 1 i 11 • 1 •
women of Crete, JNothyng oiT hem that duelle m this centre:
oTthis TOunto' For women heer, al doubilnesse thei lete,
are very differ- ^^j ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ off mUtabihte,
Thei loue no chauwgis nor no duplicite;
For ther husbondis, in causis smal or grete,
What-euer thei seyn, thei can nat couwtirplete.
4720
4724
4728
4732
Blessed
be God, who
made them so
humble and
patient. I
don't mean
one, but all,
as their hus-
bands can
testify;
Blessid be God, that hath hem maad so meek, [p. 59]
So humble and feithful off ther condiciouws;
For thouh men wolde cause* and mater seek
Ageyn ther pacience to fynde occasiouns, 4736
Thei han refusid al contradicciouws.
And hem submittid thoruh ther gouernauwce,
Onli to meeknesse and womanli suffrauwce.
I speke off alle, I speke nat off on.
That be professid onto lowlynesse;
Thei may ha[ue] mouthes, but language ha[ue] thei non
Alle trewe husbondis can bern heroff witnesse;
For weddid men, I dar riht weel expresse.
That haue assaied and had experience,
Best can recorde off wifli pacience.
4740
4744
4718. callid] call R — between this line and the next the following
note in red, MS J. 25 a: "Nota de transformatis i bis vii."
4722. Seith] Seeth H — 2nd ther] the H. 4724. eek] also R.
4726. women] them H. 4727. hem that is muddled in R.
4729. tech] tache R. 4734. feithful] feerdful R.
4735. cause] causes B, R 3 P, H — mateers H.
4743. heroff] \>er of R.
4744. riht] ful R.
BK. l]
Bocbas on Human Nature
133
For as it longeth to men to be sturdy.
And sumwhat froward as off ther nature, 4748
Riht so can women suffre paciently.
And alle wrongis humbl[el]i endure.
Men sholde attempte no maner creature,
A[nd] namli women, ther meeknesse for to preue, 4752
Which may weel suffre whil no man doth hew greue.
Eueri thyng resortith to his kynde,
As Bochas writith, sum tyme off the yeer;
And yit, who serchith, hi processe he shal fynde 4756
That trouthe and vertu may neuer fade off cheer:
For rihtwisnesse will alwey shyne cleer;
Trouthe & falsnesse, in what thei ha[ue] to doone,
Thei may no while assemble in o persone. 4760
Feith and flatrie, thei be so contrarie,
Thei may togidre holde no soiour;
Nor symplesse, which that can nat varie.
May neuer accorde with a baratour, 4764
Nor innocence with a losengour,
Nor chastite can nat hirsilff applie
Hir to confottrme onto [no] ribaudie.
Crafft and nature sue the professioun 4-68
Bi thordynaunce set in ther courage;
And ech man folweth his condicioun.
As off the stok the frut hath his tarage:
Pilgrymes may gon ful ferr in ther passage, 4772
But I dar seyn, how ferr that euer thei go,
Ther bit sum tarage off that that thei caw fro.
Bochas maketh an introduccioun
In this chapitle, off the hih noblesse 4776
That pryncis han in ther possessioun;
And bi a maner lawhhyng doth expresse, '
How for to sette hem in gret sekimesse.
lot, unlike
men, they
suffer all
wroogs ia
humility.
Truth and
falseness are
never found
together ia one
person.
or good faith
and flatterj'.
simplicity in a
boaster or
chastity ia a
ribald.
Each man lives
according to
his character.
Bochas laughs
at those
princes who
have sergeants
waiting upon
them and
soldiers
4747- it] om. R. 4750. humbileth R.
47S3. doth] do P, H 5.
4755. as write Boch. H.
4759- &] om. R. 4761. so] om. R.
4762. may not R — no] om. R. 4763, 65. Nor] Neithir R.
4768. MS. J. 25 b ir. red between the lines: "Ars mutat naturam.
4771. his] the R. 4774. 2nd that] om. R.
4775. Bochas maketh] Makith here bochas R.
4776. the] om. R.
4778. lawhhyng] louthyng R — doth] om. H.
134 ^^^ Suspicion and Dread of Lords []bk. i
Thei han sergauntis vpon hem abidyng, 4780
And men ofF armys day and nyht waityng.
to keep people That no man entre, but yifF he ha[ue] licence,
from approach- _,, f ^ • i i
ing them. 1 he irowatd portens stondyng at the gate
Putte men a-bak be sturdi violence; 4784
It were ful hard ageyn hem to debate,
Ther wachchis kept erli and eek late;
And hem tassure a-nyhtis whil thei slepe.
The chauwberleyns ther dorys streihtli keepe. 4788
They are Men assigned ther metis to assaie,
watched _-, ^, i- i
oyer day and To taste thct wyncs, list thet were tresouw;
anwNh'^ir^'^ ^uch mortal dreed these lordis doth afFraie;
i^'^ta^s"fd''for^ So is thet seurnesse meynt with suspeciouw: 4792
in^'S'skron'lrdWho fedith hym gladli, that ferith hym ofFpoisoun?
^e". But pore folk frauwchised from such dreed,
[With] such as God sent meryly* thei hem feed.
Poor people are But poetis that Write tragedies, 4796
d7e*ad'° The Ther compleynyng is al off hih estatis,
ha^ve"ka"t"peace Rehersyng euer ther pitous iuparties,
of mind. Ther sodeyn chauwgis & ther woful fatis,
Ther dyuysiouws and ther mortal debatis, 4800
And ay conclude ther dites, who can reede,
Hiest estatis stonde ay most in dreede.
Of all this And ground & roote off al this mortal trouble,
tere'rs^are the As Writ Bochas and plcynli berth witnesse, 4804
oral! is°the°r' Been these lieres with ther tunges double,
whaHhty'sIy. Themsilff afforcyng ay trouthe to oppresse;
With whom flatrie is a cheefF maistresse:
And, werst off all, to ther dreedful sentence, 4808
Is whan pryncis been hasti off credence.
Hasty credence Hasti ctcdence is roote off al errour,
is the source of.- , irriJ '1
great sorrow. A froward stepmooder orr al good counsail.
Ground ofFgret hyndryng, a dreedful deceyuour, 4812
4780. sergauntls3 s^ruauntis R, J, H 5.
4781. waityng] awaityng H, R, P, H 5.
4782. entre] may entre R. 4786. eek] also R.
4787. a-nyhtis] on nyhtis R — whil] whan R.
4790. wynes is altered into wyfFes R.
479c. With] om. R, J, H S — sent] hem sent R, J, them sent
H 5 — meryly] with merthe (mirthe) B, J, R, H 5.
4798. Rehersyng] Rewerdyng R.
4800. 2nd ther] om. H. 4801. ay] eu^r R.
4806. afforcyng] ay forshyng R.
BK. 0
An Envoy on Hasty Judgment
Fair ofFte off face, with a ful pereilous tail,
Gladli concludyng with ful gret disauail,
Next neyh[e]bour onto repentaunce
To all that truste & haue in hir plesaunce.
4816
13s
fl Lenvoye.
PRYNCIS, considreth, how in eueri age [p. 60]
Folkis be dyuers off ther condicioun
To plie & tume & chaunge in ther corage;
Yit is ther non, to myn opynyoun, 4820
So dreedful chaung nor transmutacioun.
As chaung off pryncis to yiue a iugement.
Or hasti credence, withoute auisement.
It is weel founde a passyng gret damage,
Knowe and expert in eueri regioun,
Thouh a tale haue a fair visage.
It may include ful gret decepcioun:
Hid vndir sugre, galle and fell poisoun, 4828
With a fresh face off double entendement —
Yit yiueth no credence withoute auisement.
Let folkis alle be war off ther language.
Keep ther tunges from oblocucioun, 4832
To hyndre or hurte bi no maner outrage,
Preserue ther lippis from al detraccioun.
Fro chaumpartie and contradiccioun;
For list that fraude wer founde in ther entent, 4836
Ne yiueth no credence withoute auisement.
Pryncis, Pryncessis, off noble and hih parage,
Which ha[ue] lordshipe and domynacioun,
Voide hem a-side, that can flatre and fage; 4840
Fro tunges that haue a tarage off tresoun,
Stoppith your eris from ther bittir soun;
Beth circumspect, nat hasti but prudent.
And yiueth no credence withoute auisement. 4844
Princes, the
most dreadful
thing you can
do is to
deliver a hasty
judgment.
Q A story may
4024 look well, yet
be wholly false.
Beware of
speaking ill of
others.
and above all
avoid liars and
flatterers.
4813. offte^ owi. R — ful] om. R. 4814. disseivaile R.
4817. Pryncessis considre R.
4819. & chaunge in ther] in ther & chaunge R.
4821. nor] ne R. 4822. a] om. R. 4829. entendent R.
4830. yiueth] yeue R.
4832. allocucion R. 4833. maner of R.
4838. parage] Corage H.
136 The Story of Althcea and Meleager [bk. i
[Oflf Quene Althea, and how Hercules by women
was brouht to confusioun.] ^
Bochas turning T T /"HAN Bochflj haddc shewed his sentence,
again to those ■ / * / '
w
who had been ▼ T And declared his opynyoun
Fortune, Gcyn hem that wer[e]n hasti off credence,
He gan anon make a digressioun 4848
Fro that mater, and off entencioun
To serche out mo, his purpos to contune,*
That were doun cast & hyndred hi Fortune.
saw among a And, as he thouhte, he sauh a cuwpanye 48'?2
large company ^ l • i • i i 11
of worthies utt many worthi, which to hym dede appeere;
Queen Althaea aj iir^iii
weeping, with And a-mong alle hrst he dede espie
ordered hair!" Quecn Althea, as she gan neihhe hym neere,
Al bedewed hir face and eek hir cheere 4856
With salt[e] teris, that pite was to seene.
Which whilom was off Calidonye* the queene.
She was the douhter off kyng Testius,
Weddid to Oene off CaHdoyne* kyng, 4860
Off cheer and face apperyng ful pitous,
^atgetbiick' Hir her to-torn and frowardli liggyng;
gown. ^j^j jj^ tokne also off compleynyng.
As writ Bochas, wheroff he took [good] heed, 4864
Blak was hir habite, and al to-rent hir weed.
A sone she hadde, Mell[e]ager he hihte;
^HedMefeage", I" ctthe was ther non fairere for to see,
Hrlh^ the' Fates ^^^^ wccl fauouted in eueri manys sihte; 4868
pst a brand And, as I fynde, at his natyuite
and said that Present wern the Fatal Sustren thre
consumed the With thet rokkc, and gan to spynwe faste,
child would die. ^^ J ^^^y. ^ j^j.^^ J ^^ J jj^^.^ gj. j^ ^^^^^ ^g^^
And in that hour this was her language:
"Touchyng this child, we ful accorded be,
And han disposid the terme eek off his age,
4847. Geyn^ Ayens R. 4850. contune] contynue B.
4852. he sauh] hym seeh R.
4856. bedewed] be wepid R — eek] also R.
4857. was] is H.
4858. whilom] sum tyme R — Calidonye] Calcidonye B, H 5,
Calcydonye J, Calcidon R 3 — the] om. H.
4859. Thestius P.
4860. Calidoyne] Calcidoyne B, Calcydonye J, Calcidonye H 5.
4864. he] I H. 4866. Melliager R, Mellager H, R 3.
4871. roicke and gan] rokkis and bigan R.
4873. in] into R.
4875. the terme eek] also the terme R.
1 MS, J. leaf 25 verso.
BK. i}
MeUager kills a Savage Boar
137
4876
4880
The space concludid off his destyne.
As long[e] tymp, who-so list to see,
Til this brond among the coles rede
Be ful consumed into asshes dede."
But whan Althea espied ther entente,
And conseyued the fyn off ther sentence,
She ros hire up, and the brond she hente
Out off the fir with gret dilligence,
Queynt anon the fires violence;
The doom off Parcas she gan thus disobeie.
The brond reseruyng vnder lok and keie.
Touchyng the fader off this Mell[e]ager,
Oeneus, off hym thus I reede,
How he wente and souhte nyh and fer
Goddis and goddessis, who-so list take heede,
In hope onli for to ha[ue] gret meede;
For to hem alle, poetis thus deuise,
Sauf to Diana, he dede sacrefise.
Wheroff she cauhte an indignacioun;
Caste she wolde on hym auengid be;
Sente a boor into his regioun,
Ful sauage and ful off cruelte.
Which deuoured the frut off many a tre
And destroied his cornys and his vynes.
That such scarsete off vitaile and off wynes
Was in his land vpon euery side.
That the peeple off necessite
Compellid wem a-mong hem to prouide
Sum mene weie to saue ther contre.
And at the laste thei condescendid be.
That Mell[e]ager, lusti off his corage,
Shold chese with hym folk fresh & yong off age.
This dreedful boor myhtili tenchace. 4908
And foorth thei wente, echon deuoid off dreed,
With rounde speris thei gan hym to manace.
But Mell[e]ager made first his sides red,
And with a suerd[e] than«e smet off his hed; 4912
4879. aspiede R.
4882. hire] om. R, J, H 5.
4888. Oneus H. 4889] How that he souht nyh & fer R.
4899. distried R. 4900. vitailes R. 4903. hem] om. R.
4905. thei] the R. 4906. his] om. R. 4907. fressh folkis R.
4910. began R. 4911. red] bleede H.
But AJthia
extinguished the
flame and put
the brand
away under lock
and key.
4884
Meleager's
father, CEneus,
in hope of
reward made
offerings to all
the gods and
goddesses ex-
cept Diana, who
in anger sent a
J, boar to devas-
4092 tajj his Land,
4896
4900
[p. 61]
which was killed
by Nfdeager.
4904
138
Meleager slays his Two Uncles
Hbk.
WherofF the centre was ful glad & fayn.
And in this wise the tusshi boor was slayn.
Some books SuTnmc boolcis telle ofF this huntyng,
say that Ata- _,, i i • i • i i • \
lanta wounded 1 hat a ladi, which was born m Arge, 4916
with a" arrow, CalHd Athalanta, doubter to the kyng,
To sle this boor took on hire the charge,
And with an arwe made his wounde large.
Eek in Guide lik as it is fouwde, 4920
Because that she gafF the firste wounde,
and Meleager, Mell[e]ager anon for a memorie,
knight, gave As he that was hir owne chose knyht,
and'when\is Gaff hir the bed in tokne off this victorie. 4924
TiromZXy But his tweyne vncles, ageyn al skile & ribt,
them. ''" ''"" Rafft hir the bed, off verray force & myht,
Hauyng despiht that she, in ther auys.
Off this victorie sholde here awey the prys. 4928
With which iniurie Mell[e]ager was wroth,
And ageyn hem proudli gan disdeyne;
Pullith out a suerd and vpon hem he goth,
And thorub his manhod slouh his vncles tweyne, 4932
And afftir that dede his besi peyne
To take the bed, and with ful bumble entente.
To Athalante ageyn it to presente.
On off his vncles was callid Flexippus, 4936
A manli knyht, and but yong off age;
The totber brother named Thesyus.
But whan ther suster herde off this outrage,
How thei were slayn, she gan in hir visage 4940
Wexe ded [&] pale, alias, for lak off blood,
Whan she espied the cause bow it stood.
She badde no mater, God wot, to be fayn,
Queen Althea, to stonden and beholde 4944
Hir bretbre tweyne off hir sone slayn
At the huntyng, off which toforn I tolde.
First thyngis too she gan peise & onfolde:
When Althaea
heard of this
she grew pale
and began to
consider the
love she bore
her brothers and
her son's hasty
deed.
tusshi] tuskye R, tusky J.
Suwme] And some H, P, And som R 3.
woundis R. 4920. Eek] Also R.
RafFt] berauht H. 4927. ther] his R.
bigan R. 4931. PuUid R. 4932. he slouh R.
callid] namyd H. 4937- and] om. R.
4938. Theseus H, R. 4942. aspied R.
4944. to] sto R (*/ttn</.ff o/j-m*^). 4947. too] tweyne R.
4914,
4915
4919
4926,
4930
4936
BK. l]
Althaas Indecision
139
Off hir brethre the loue and nyh kenrede, 4948
And off hir sone the hasti cruel deede.
And remembryng, she castith in ballaunce,
Off hertli wo that she dede endure,
Thouhte yiff she dede vpon ther deth vengauwce, 4952
To slen hir sone it were ageyn nature.
Thus in a weer longe [time] she dede endure,
Hir dedli sorwe peisyng eueri^eel,
Whethir she* shal be tendre or cruel. 4956
Thus tendre, I meene, hir sone for to spare.
Or punshe the deth off hir brethre tweyne.
Thus counfortles, al destitut and bare.
In langwisshyng shendureth foorth hir peyne; 4960
And remedie can she non ordeyne,
Sauf fayn she wolde auenge hir, yiff she may.
But thanne cam nature foorth and seide nay.
It was hir sone, a-geyn al kyndli riht 4964
On whom she caste auenged for to be:
To women alle an ougli straunge siht.
That a mooder, deuoid off al pite,
Sholde slen hir child so merciles parde. 4968
Nay nay, nat so, nature wil nat assente;
For yiff she dede, ful sore she shal repente.
But O alias, al fatal purueiaunce
Kepith his cours, as summe clerkis seyn; 4972
But the writyng off doctours, in substaunce.
And these dyuynes replie ther ageyn,
And afferme thoppynyoun is in veyn
Off hem that truste on fate or destyne: 4976
For God aboue hath the souereynte.
And off Fortune the power may restrejoie,
To saue and spille lik as folk disserue;
Ageyn his will thai may nothyng ordeyne 4980
Off necessite, what cours that thei conserue.
But this mateer al hooli I reserue
It were against
nature to slay
her Km;
yet the murder
of his uncles
must be
avenged.
Without com-
fort she
remained
undecided;
but Fate must
take its coarse
(although not
against God's
»-ill).
495 1, indure H.
4954. she dyd long while endure R (in later band) — time]
om. R 3.
4956. she] that she B, R 3. 4960. foorth] for R.
4961. non] noon othir H, none other P.
4963. forth nature R — foorth] ageyn H. 4970. shal] did R.
497S- And] om. H. 4976. on] of H — destanye R.
4981. that] om. R.
140
Althcea casts the Brand into the Fire
[bk.
4992
Onto deuynys to termyne and conclude,
Which apparteneth to* no folkis rude. 4984
«nd Althaea, But Althca, ofF Calidoync* queen, [p. 62]
suddenly moved -^ i i • i ii n j
to wrath, Gan soFC ttiusc, and heeng in a ballaunce:
Hir brethre ded, whan she dede hem seen,
Thanwe was she meued anon to do vengauwce
Vpon hir sone bi ful gret displesaunce;
But as poetis list for to compile,
Nature made hire withdrawe hir hand a while
Thus atwen ire and twen afFeccioun
She heeld hir longe, on nouther parti stable,
Till that she cauhte in hir opynyouw
A sodeyn rancour, which made hire be vengable;
And hasti wrathe,* which is nat comendable, 4996
Ageyn hir sone, maad hire with hir bond
Out off hire chest to take the fatal brond.
cast the brand And sodcnli she cast it in the fir,
into the nre. a i i i i i
And wex cruel, ageyn al womanheede, 5000
To execute hir venymous desir.
The fatal brond among the flawmys rede
Consumed was into asshes dede;
And furiously in hir malencolie, 5004
The vengaunce doon, thus she gan to crie:
"O ye Parchas, froward sustre thre,
Which off loue keepe the librarie,
And off childre at ther natyuyte 5008
Waite his sentence, which [that] may nat varie,
Wherso it be welful or contrarie,
Vpon his doomys takyng alway heed.
How that ye shal dispose the fatal threed. 5012
Thou Cloto first takest* thi rokke on honde.
And Lachesis* afFtir doth begynwe,
4983. determyne R.
4984. apparteneth^ nat parteneth B, R, J, H 5 — to3 onto B,
R, H 5 — no] om. R, J, H 5.
4985. Calidoync] Calcidoyne B, Calidonye R.
4986. Bigan R — a] om. R. 4987. seen] se H.
4992. atwen] bitwene R — twen] betwene R.
4996. wraththe B — is nat] ne is R.
5002. flawmys] colis R. 5006. sustren R, H.
5008. children R. 5009. Waite his] Awayten the R.
5013. first] om. R, J, H 5 — takest] cast B, H {scribal blunder
for tast), take R, takith R 3 — on] in R.
5014. Lachesis] Lathesis B, R, J {a slip of pen merely, c and
are often scarcely distinguishable).
Vengeance
thus taken,
she cried
aloud to the
Parcae, Clotho,
Lachesis, and
Atropos,
BK. i}
The Death of Althaa
141
Bi gret auys, who can vndirstonde.
The threed on lengthe to drawen & to spynne; 5016
But whan the sperit shal fro the bodi twynne,
Thou Attropos doost thi cruel peyne
Ful frowardli to parte the threed on tweyne.
I may weel pleyne on such departisoun, 5020
Nat for a day, but, o alias, for euere!
Ye han ontwynyd and maad dyuysioun
Off my too brethre, [and] causid hem disseuere.
That heer a-lyue I shal seen hem neuere. 5024
And I off haste, alias, whi dede I so!
Tauenge ther deth ha[ue] slayn my sone also.
0 ye thre douhtren off Herberus the felle,
Whos ougli mooder was the blake nyht, 5028
Al your kynreede and lynage lith in helle;
And for tauenge the wrong and gret onriht
Which that I haue accomplisshid in your siht,
1 will with you perpetueli compleyne, 5032
Lich my desert endure sorwe & peyne!"
And whil she gan thus with hirself[e] stryue
Vpon hir sorwes, that were eend[e]les.
She made a suerd thoruhout hir h<frte ryue, 5036
Off hir liff heer she was to rech[e]les.
AND Bochas affter, amonges al the pres,
Sauh, as hym thouhte, with a ful hidous cheer,
Ded off visage, Hercules appeere, 5040
Whos fader was lubiter the grete,
His mooder doubter off kyng Amphitrion,
Callid Alcumena, whilom born in Crete.
And as poetis rehersyn oon bi oon, 5044
So excellent was ther neuer noon.
"You have
killed my two
brothers, and,
alas, now I
have slain my
son to avenge
their death. I
will complain
with you for-
ever!"
Whereupon she
thrust a sword
through her
heart.
Hercules, son
of Jupiter and
Alcmene, most
famous of men,
next apTCared
before Bochas.
5015. who SO R. 5016. on^ofR.
5018. Antropos R, J, H 5, Antrapos R 3. 5019. on] or R.
5020. on] in R, J, of R 3 — departicioun H, H 5, departicion R, P.
5023. brethern J — and] om. H.
5024 . heer] he R — on lyue R.
5027. Cerebus R, J, H 5, Herebus H, Erebus P — thre] om. J.
5029. Al] And R — & al your lynage hih R. ♦
5034. Large capital in B — she gan] be gan J — wt'ti hirsilff
\)us streyue R, J.
5036. to ryue R, arive H.
5037. heer] om. H, R, R 3 — llflF] silflF R, silf T, H c — to] om.
R, so H, R 3, P.
5038. B bos no initial here. 5042. kyng] om. R.
5043. sumtyme R.
142
Hercules appears before Bochas
[bk. I
To speke off conquest, [of] victorie* and [of] fame,
Heer In this world that hadde so gret a name.
He was terrible Dreedful of look hc was, and rlht terrible,
His herd eek blak, which heeng ful lowe doun.
And al his her as bristlis wer horrible.
His robe also, ful merueilous off facioun,
Was off the skyn ofF a fers leouw,
Which [from his bake] of verray force he rente,
With-in a forest* alone whan he wente.
black-bearded,
with bristly hair
and dressed in
a lion's skin,
and he held
a mace
of steel in his
hand.
In his hand he bar a maas off steel.
Which to beholde was wonder large & huge
Bi apperence, as Bochas felte weel;
Dempte off resouw, as a rihtful iuge,
That Hercules hadde to his refuge
Wisdam with force, for tencrece his fame,
AUe beestis wilde for to make hem tame.
"Take heed,
Bochas," he
said, "my
merits are
more com-
mendable than
any tongue can
tell.
"Before my
birth, Jove
said to Juno,
that Hercules,
noblest oi the
noble, would
be born on
such a day.
5048
50s*
5056
5060
And onto Bochas he gan loude crie,
"Tak riht good heed[e], for it is no fable,
I for my meritis, to speke off cheualrie 5064
And noble triuwphes, am most comendable,
To be preferrid most worthi and most hable.
Which haue accowplisshid al that may excelle
Thoruh hih prowesse, that any tunge* can telle. 5068
Eek off my berthe, in heuene ful yore ago [p. 63]
FuUi conceyued my constellaciouw,
Mihti loue saide onto luno.
On such a day, in such a regioun, 5072
Oon shal be born, most myhti off renoun,
Noblest off nobles bothe in werre and pes,
OfF whom the name shal be Hercules.
5046. victoire B.
5049. eek^ also R.
5053. from his bake]] om. H, R 3.
5054. With-in a forest] From his bak B, H, R 3 — whan] as
R3,H5.
5055. mas J, mase H 5, mace R, R 3, P.
5058. Demede R.
5060. With force wisdome R — for] om. R — fame] name H,
5061. Alle] As R.
5065. nobles R — triumphes is muddled in R.
5068. hih] his R 3, his hih R — tunge] mouth B, H, man R 3.
5069. Eek] Also R.
BK. l]
Hercules and Eurystheus
143
The which[e] doom whan luno vndirstood, 5076
Off lubiter conceyuyng the entente,
And knew my fate sholde be so good,
To Lucynya hir messager she sente." . . .
But summe seyn, how doun hirselfF she wente 5080
To this goddesse, goddesse off childyng.
And hir besouhte to grauwte hire hir askyng:
That she wolde from Hercules translate
The influence off" his natyuyte, 5084
Helpe to reuerse his fame and eek his fate,
And grauwte it hqoli to yong Euristee;
And that Lucynya present wolde be
The same hour bi lubiter prouyded, 5088
It to posseede al hool and ondeuyded.
Thus to the mooder off [this] Euristee,
luno the goddesse grauntid hir fauour,
Therbi disposyng that he sholde be 5092
Mihti off puissaunce lik an emperour;
But off his noblesse the conquest & labour,
And off his manhod the prowesse and pursut
Bi Hercules was fully execut. 5096
Thus Hercules hadde the trauaile.
And Euristeus bar awey the name;
Eek Hercules fauht in plate & maile.
And hih emprises proudli dede attame: 5100
But the report off his noble fame
To Euristeus was fynali ascryued;
Thus off his thank was Hercules dcpryued.
Ful ofFte in armys sum man doth riht weel, 5104
And ofFte causith that the feeld is won we;
And off a-nother that dede neueradeel,
The price out-spredith lich a sheene sonne.
And ofFte it happith, that he that best hath ronwe 5108
Doth nat the spere lich his desert posseede,
Wher fals fauour yeueth eueri man his meede.
"But Juno
contrived that
my good for-
tune should be
translated to
young Eurj's-
theus."
So it was
Hercules who
achieved the
conquests and
had all the
labour, while
Eurystheus
bore away the
name.
It often hap-
pens that the
man who wins
the victory
does not get
the credit for
it. Fame has
more than one
trumpet.
5083. wolde] sholde H.
5085. reuerse] resirrue R, J, H 5 — fame] name R, J, H 5
eek] om. R, J, H 5.
5090. this] om. H. 5097. Thus] This J.
5099. Eek] Thus R, Also J, H 5. 5100. hih] his R.
5102. was fynali] fully was R.
5107. lich a] as shyneth Jie R, as shine^j \,t J, H 5, P.
5108. 2nd that] which R.
144 Good Fortune is not always to the Victor []bk. I
Fame in hir paleis hath trumpes mo than oon,
Sumwe ofF gold that yeuen a ful fressh soun; 5112
Sum man hath laude, that deserueth non,
And summe ha[ue] been ful worthi off renoun,
Nothyng preferrid hi comendaciouw,
As hi report off statis hih and lowe, 5116
So frowardli Famys truwpe hath blowe.
Touchyng armys, the poore nor the riche
Be nat echon off herte coragous;
Nor alle men may nat been iliche, 5120
foiiow\hTt\e Nor off ther name egal nor gracious.
de^e° fiways^^ -^"^ thouh the poore ha[ue] be victorious,
eats the veni- Off auenture to do ful weel sum day,
though one Other ha[ue] pynchid to take his thank away. 5124
the\^sh! \t^^ Oon sleth the deer with an hokid arwe,
who geVth?'''^ ^'^os part is non yit off the venysoun;
birds. Oon bet the bussh, another hath the sparwe,
And alle the birdis in his possessiouw; 5128
Oon draweth his nettis in ryuers vp & dou«.
With sundri baitis* cast out lyne and hook,
And hath no part off al that euer he took.
An euidence heeroff ye may see, 5132
Ful notable to be put in memorie,*
Off Hercules and [of] Euristee;
KheuTare For Hercules gat ay the victorie,
this^''*"'^'^ °^ ^^^ Euristeus receyued hath the glorie. 5136
Thus ther palme partid was on tweyne;
The ton reioisshid, the tother bar the peyne.
f pHnceTf ^''^ Euristeus was a prynce off Athene,
Athens son of ^qxxq and hair be discent off lyne 5140
king Sthenelus; ii- i n mi
but it was Onto the kyng that callid was Stillene,
won the prize Vuder whos myht, as Bochas doth termyne,
Hercules thoruh knyhtli disciplyne
Profitid so, most manli and most wis, 5144
That from all othre he bar awey the pris.
5112. yeueth H.
5117. Famys] fame his R, J, P, H 5. 5118. nor] ne R, J, P.
5119. herds R. 5120, 21. Nor] Neithir R.
5122. poore man R. 5127. betith R. 5129. &] owi. R.
5130. baitis] battis B — out] om. R 3. 5132. An] In R.
5133,35,36. memoire, victoire, gloire B. 5134. 2ndof]o»t. H.
5137. departid was in R.
5139. a] om. R, H 5. 5142. detirrmyne R.
5144. Profited] Prouided J, Prouisid R, Prouidid P.
of victory.
BK. i] HercuUs and loU 145
But O alias, that euer it sholde fall, Alas that »
' , . noble a man
So noble a knyht, so manli, so notable, «houid be
1111' • 11 drawn from bis
That any spotte sholde his pns appall 5148 knighthood by
Or cause his corage for to been onstabl^f, * woman.
Which is a thyng doolful and lamentable,
From his knyhthod, which is a thyng to straunge,
That euer a woman sholde his herte chaunge! 5152
I will excuse hem, because ther nature [p. 64] i ^^ ,
' . ir T^j excuse them,
Ys to chaungen hertis and corages; for it \% their
. , " f. J nature to cause
A-geyn ther power no force may endure, hearts to
For ther flatrie and sugrid fair language, 5156 " *°^
Lich Sirenes, fressh off ther visage,
For tenchaunge off pryncis the noblesse,
Mo than Hercules can bem heerofF witnesse.
Thus Hercules, astoned and ashamed, 5160 f^^^^'^^j
Onto Bochas shewed his presence, before Bochas
Seide, "alias! my knyhthod is difFamed my knighthood'
Bi a ful fals amerous pestilence, Fo"i^™LimV
So sore constreyned bi mortal violence, 5164 ^^^dr'IS^^
Wherbi, alias, my manhod was applied, |^ 'o^' °^
Be sleihte off women oppressid & maistried,
To take ther habite & clothe me in ther weede.
To shaue my herd and farse my visage 5168
With oynementis, ageyn[es] al manheede,
To make it souple, & chaungid my language;
And to compleyne mor off myn outrage,
Vpon my fyngris, fyue twies told, 5172
I hadde ryngis richeli wrouht off gold.
Thus was my corage chaungid femyiiyne
For loue off oon callid Yole,
Off condiciouns thouh she were serpentyne, 5176 though the
Me thouhte she was so fair vpon to see, ^"dne * **"
That al my ioie was with hire to be; disposition.
And that non sholde apparceyue my trespace,
I chaungid bothe habite, look and face, 5180
5152. his herte3 herofF here R. 5155. power] nature R.
5156. languages R. 5157. visages R.
5158. tenchaunge] to eschauwge R.
5160. astonyed R.
5168. shaue] shere R — farse] force R.
5170. chaunge R.
5177. so fair] fayrest R.
146 Hercules laments the Loss 0/ his Good Name |~bk. i
5184
"Wherefore,
Bochae, tell
ray misfortunes
as they were in
deed, bo that
others, hearing
of them, may
amend their
vicious lives.
Even wise men
may profit by
the example of
fools."
• I did this that And was a woman outward in apparence,
I might ap- ^„ , ...
proach her (Jit cntcnt to hauc Hior liDcrte
freely; but it np i • i i
has ruined my 1 o vsc my lustis, and hauc experience
good name. Qg- ^ppetitis which that onlecfful be.
WherofF the sclauwdre reboundeth onto me,
That I dar seyn, myn outragous trespace
Doth al my knyhthod & my prowesse difFace.
Wherfore, O Bochas, I pray the tak good heede 5188
For to descryue in termys pleyn and cleer
Myn infortunye, riht as it was in deede,
That whan other conceyue the maneer
Off myn onhappis, contagious for to heer, 5192
Thei may bexauwple off me doon ther peyne,
From vicious lifF ther hertis to restreyne.
For these foolis that al wisdam despise,
And be contrarie* to vertuous disciplyne, 5196
May yiue exaumple to folkis that be wise.
And been to hem a lanterne off doctryne,
Vices teschewe and prudentli declyne
Fro flesshli lustis; for it is tauht in scoolis, 52cx>
That wise men been alday war be foolis."
Bochas thought Whan Bochas hadde conceyued the compleynt
wrong to speak Off Hctcules in his appceryng,
alone' ^"^*^* And how his noblesse bi women was atteynt
Thoruh his pitous disordynat lyuyng.
He thouhte anon, hymselue remembryng.
It hadde be routhe for taput in mynde
His vicis alle, and vertues lefft behynde.
or in any way Considted also it was inpettyneut,
to cast a slur /-> i i • i • i -i
on his good (Juthcr bi language to write, ageyn al riht.
Any* thyng that sholde in sentement
The fame amenuse off so noble a knyht,
Or to discrece in ony manys siht
His glorious prowesse, sith poet<?j- for his werris
Reisen his renouw so hih aboue the sterris.
5204
5208
5212
5x81. R omits to 5348, leaf lost between 32 and 33.
5188. Wherfore] wher of H, P, H 5.
5 191. maneer] mateere H, matter R 3, P.
5196. contraire B.
5201. been alday war] al dai ben tau^t J, H c.
5207. taput] ta be put H, to put J, H j, to nave put P.
5209. impertinent P.
S2II. Any] And B, H, P, A R 3.
BK.
I]
The Labours of Hercules
147
For he was bothe knyht and phillsophre, 5216
And for his strengthe callid a geaunt;
For comoun profit he proudli gan eek profre,
Off manli corage yafF therto ful graunt,
Tentre in Egipt &* slen ther the tiraunt 5220
Callid Busiris, which off ful fals entente
Slouh all straungers that thoruh his kyngdaw wente.
For vnder a colour off liberalite,
To his paleis he gladli wolde calle 5224
Straungers echon that cam thoruh his contre,
And sollempneli receyue hem oon and alle,
And lich a kyng, bothe in chaumbre and halle
Make hem such cheer in alle maner thyng, 5228
As appertened onto a worthi kyng.
But whil his gestis lay a-nyht and sleep,
This fals[e] tiraunt, in ful cruel wise,
Moordred hem echon or thei toke* keep; 5232
And afftir that — this was eek his gise —
With ther blood to make a sacrefise
To lubiter, god off that contre.
Off hool entent to plese his deite, 5236
That in his kyngdam, on frutis & on greyn [p. 65]
The land tencrece bi gret[e] habundaunce,
Doun from heuene he wolde sende hem reyn.
This mene he made and this fals cheuysaunce, 5240
To moordre and slen he hadde so gret plesaunce;
For off alle thynge hym* thouhte it dede him* good
To slayen* straungers and to sheede ther blood.
But whan this moordre off Busiris was kouth,
That no straunger myht passe his lond in pes.
This manli knyht, yit flouryng in his youth.
This noble famous, this worthi Hercules,
Amonges other put hymsilff in pres.
And lich a gest outward in shewyng
Cam to the paleis off Busiris the kyng,
Hercules was
both a philoso-
pher and a
knight.
5244
5248
He slew
Busiris in
Egypt, who
treacherously
murdered his
guests
and offered up
their blood to
Jove, that he
might send rain
to his kingdom.
But Herculei
went to his
palace
5220. &] to B, J — in] in to J — ther the tirauwt] l)e geant
J, Hs.
5232. token B. 5236. hool] om. H.
5238. tencrece] encreased H 5, P.
5242. ofF] om. P — hym] he B — him] hem B.
5243. slayen] slen B — slayen straungers and to sheede] mur-
\>tre his gestis and shede J, H 5.
148
The Labours of Hercules
[byl.
and after rebuk- Rebukcd hvm ofF hls gtet outrage
ing him, killed _^ , / • , • 1 • 1
him and set DOOn tO hlS gCStlS Dl CFUCl VlOlenCC. 525a
gypt in ease, ^^j ^^^ ^^ make pcsiblc that passage,
And for to auenge his inportable offence,
And off his moordre to make recompence,
This Hercules slouh Busiris* in deede, 5256
And took the blood which he dede bleede,
OfFrid it vp lubiter to plese.
For this victorie hym to magnefie;
And al Egipt thus was set in ese: 5260
Ther lond, ther frutis gan also multeplie,
Ther greyn encrece a-boute on ech partie
And to habouwde bi influence ofi^ reyn,
Which aflPortyme off vitaile was bareyn. 5264
He also slew ^ Another geauwt callid Antheus,
Antsus, who rr T • I • i i i i i j
renewed his Kyng Oil LiDie, and gouerned al that iond,
time he touched Whom Hercules, most strong & coraious,
\YhJIom outraied [&] slouh hym with his bond; 5268
For as thei wrastlid, bexperience he fond,
Touchyng therthe this geaunt, it is trewe,
His force, his myht dede alwey renewe.
But whan Hercules the maner dede espie, 5272
How his strengthe renewed ageyn so ofFte,
Ther ageyns he shoop a remedie:
Hie in the hair he reised hym vp a-lofFte;
And with his armys, hard & nothyng soff'te, 5276
Bak and bonys so sore he dede enbrace.
That he fill ded toforn hym in the place.
But suwme bookis olF this geaunt telle,
Withynwe his kyngdam who dede hym assaile, 5280
He wolde off newe his cheualrie compelle
EfFt ageyn to meete hym in bataile;
And in this wise ful seelde he dede faile
TafForce off newe, as folk shal vndirstonde, 5284
His strengthe, his myht all enmyes to withstonde.
Some books
say that An-
taeus was in-
vincible in his
own kingdom,
and that Her- But Hetcules ofF hih discrecioun,
cules enticed ,_,, r ^ ^ i !•
him away from 1 he leeld on hym manli to recure,
thu8°defeated Hadde hym be sleihte out ofF his regiourt;
him.
5288
And as thei mette theer ofF auenture,
The said Antheus myht[e] nat endure,
5253. that] the H. 5256. Bisiris B. 5267. &] & most H.
5269. he]o7n. H. 5276. his] om. H.
BK. 0
The Labours of Hercules
149
Heroiles next
conquered and
slew Geryon of
Spain, who had
exfled all his
people;
and afterward*
he killed
Cerberus.
He also slew
the Cretan Bui 1
and the
Nemean Lion,
of whose skin
he made a
coat.
But was disconfited bi Hercules anon,
Maugre his myht, he and his men echon. 5292
^ AfFtir this conquest Hercules is gon.
For exercise his prowesse for to vse,
Ageyn the myhti stronge* Gerion,
Kyng oflF Spaigne, off Malliagre & Ebuse, 5296
The which[e] tirant myhte hym nat excuse,
That al his labour, as poetis do compile,
Was fro these rewmys his peeple* to exile.
His tirannye ne myht nat longe endure; 5300
For Hercules, the noble worthi knyht,
Made vpon hym a gret disconfiture,
And slouh the tirant as thei mette in fiht.
And afftir that, he, thoruh his grete myht, 5304
Off his prowesse and magnanymyte
Slouh Cerberus with his hedis thre.
^ The famous boole off the lond off Crete,
Which that destroied al that regioun, 5308
He slouh also whan thei dede meete;
And in Nemea he slouh a fers leoun.
And for a record off his hih renoun.
Off manli force his skyn away he took, 5312
And to his bodi a coote theroff he shoop:
To all his enmyes to shewe hym mor dreedful,
Therfore he werid that hidous gamement.
And for in armys he neuer was founde dull, 5316
But euer ilich[e] fressh in his entent,
Into a mounteyn he made anon his went,
Callid Erimantus; and ther in his passage
He slouh a boor, most wilde & most sauage, 5320
Beside a r^'uer callid Stiphalus, [p. 66]
Off furious birdis he slouh a gret[e] noumbre;
Withynne the kyngdam off kyng Fyneus
Al the contre for thei dede encoumbre: 5324
For with ther shadwe & outraious oumbre,
On seed or frutis whereuer thei aliht,
Al was deuoured in eueri manys siht.
9 Vpon the mounteyn callid Auent^Tie, 5328
Which is nat ferr fro Rome the cite,
Ther is a wode, as cronycles determyne,
5295. stronge] straunge B, strange H. 5296. Malliagre]] Baleares P.
5299. peeple] peeplis B, H. 531J. garment H. 5326. or frutis] on frute H.
the Eryman-
thian Boar,
the
Stymphalisa
Birds,
150 The Labours of Hercules [^bk. i
Riht fressh off siht and goodli on to see.
and Cacus And Hercules passyng bi that contre, 5332
Mt. Aventine, Fto Spayncward goyng be Ytaile,
Cachus the geaunt dede hym ther assaile.
Whil Hercules among the leues greene
Leide hym to slepe, off sodeyn auenture, 5336
who stole his _/\nd his beestis ageyn the sonne sheene,
cattle and hid __., .,111 • i
them in a cave, Whil that he slepte, wente m ther pasture,
Cam Cachus foorth, ful hidous off stature,
Thouhte he wolde these beestis with hym haue, 5340
Stal hem echon and hid hem in a caue.
dragging them And Hk a thecfF he made hem go bakward,
backwards by rr^. i i i i • rr ^ i
the tail, like a 1 hat no man sholde the tracis oit hem knowe,
Nor off ther passage haue no reward; 5344
For bi ther tailis he ladde hem on a rowe
Into his caue, which that stood ful lowe.
And for thei wern off excellent fairnesse,
To keepe hem cloos he dede his besynesse. 5348
Hercules heard Qut off his slep whatt Hetculcs awook
their lowing « i i i •
And aparceyued his oxes were away,
He roos hym up, and caste aboute his look,
Gan tespie in al the haste he may 5352
To what parti the tracis off hem lay.
And whil he stood thus musyng in the shade,
[He] herde lowyng that his oxes made.
and, finding the And bi thet lowyug he gan anon approche 5356
c7cus°a'^d"iew Toward the parti wher thei were kept ful cloos,
'^""' Fond the caue vndir a myhti roche;
And proude Cachus, which hadde hem in depoos,
Geyn Hercules he sturdili aroos: 5360
But for al that, he myht hymsilff nat* saue.
For he hym slouh at thentre off the caue.
He then cleared And thus his beestis he hath ageyn recurid,
Mt. Aventine of ,-,-,, rr • Ul ^
brigands. That sempte attorn irrecuperable. 5364
Afftir the mounteyn be force he hath assurid,
5332. that] the H, 5333- be] fro H.
5346. ful] so H.
5350. parceyued R, p<?rceived J — oxen H, P.
5351. hym ] OOT. R. 5352. Bigan to espie R.
5355. He] om. H — the lowyng P, H 5 — oxen P.
5360. Ayens R. 5361. myhtnat himsilfF B.
5364. inrecup^rable R. 5365. hath] hast H.
BK. l]
The Labours of Hercules
i^i
Which for brigantis afom was ful doutable;
But bi his manhod it was maad habitable,
That men myhte, for dreed off any fo, 5368
Whan euer thei wolde freli come or go.
9 Touchyng his conquest vpon Femynye,
Geyn Amazones with Theseus he wente,
The queen Ypolita thoruh his cheualrie, 5372
For his parti anon to hym he hente.
And Ypolita off ful trewe entente
Gaff onto hym in tokne off victorie
Off gold a girdil to haue hir in memorie. 5376
^ Afftir to Affrik he wente a ful gret pas,
Onli off purpos the gardeyn for to see,
Which appertened to [the] kyng Athlas,
That brothir was to kyng Promothe, 5380
In astrologie ful weel expert was he.
And in this gardeyn, off which I ha[ue] you told,
The riche brauwchis and applis were off gold,
Thoruh magik maad bi gret auisement, 5384
Ful streihtly* kept and closid enviroun.
And Iwachchid with a fell serpent.
That no man entred that riche mansioun.
But Hercules, most myhti off renoun, 5388
The serpent slouh throuh his manli pursuit.
And fro that gardeyn he bar awey the fruit.
This seid Athlas, as bookis specefie,
And poetis eek off hym endite, 5392
He was ful cunnyng in astronomic
And theryn dede ful gretli hym* delite;
And many a book he made & dede write
With gret labour and gret[e] dilligence 5396
In his tyme vpon that science.
The which[e] wern mor precious than gold.
And mor riche in his opynyoun.
But Hercules, in soth as it is told, 5400
5367. manhod] knyhthode R.
S37I. Ayens R.
5373. parti] pray R. 5376. hir] om. R.
5380. the kyng R, H, J.
5385. streihtly]streihteB, R, streietj, streite P. 5389. The]
Ther H.
5392. eek off hym] of hym also R. 5393. ful] om. R.
5394. hym ful gretli B. 5398. than] that R.
\Mien he went
to Feraynye,
Hippolyte
presented him
with her golden
girdle.
Afterwards, in
Africa, he slew
a serpent in
King Atlas'
garden and
fetched away
the Golden
Apples of the
Hespe rides.
Atlas was a
learned a«ron-
omer who
wrote many
valuable
books.
which Hercules
seized and
brought to
Greece.
152
The Labours of Hercules
[bk. I
In Thrace he
slew Diomedes,
who fed his
horses with
human flesh.
Gat alle the bookis thoruh his hih renouw,
Bar hem hi force out off that regloun;
And into Grece, lich a conquerour,
With hym he brouhte for a gret tresour. 5404
Off Trace he slouh the tirant outraious [p. 67]
That whilom was callid Diomede,
Which moordred al that cam in[to] his hous,
And with ther flessh his hors he dede feede. 5408
And thoruh his witt, labour and manheede,
Off Achelaus, which was a gret[e] wonder,
He made the stremys for to parte assonder;
And bi his wisdam dede hem so deuide, 5412
In too parties disseueryng his passage:
For tofortyme no man myhte abide
Off his cours the* furious fell outrage;
For in contrees it dede so gret damage, 5416
Turnyng vpward, ther was noon othir boote.
Where it flowed, off trees cropp and roote.
A gret emprise he dede eek vndirtake,
Whan that the [wor]mees, hidous & horrible, 5420
Aryued up off Archadie in the lake
Callid Lerne, the beestis ful odible,
Which with ther teeth & mouthes ful terrible
Frut, greyn and corn dede mortali deuoure; 5424
But Hercules, the contre to socoure.
Cam lik a knyht ther malice for to lette;
And bi his prudence destroied hem euerichon.
Withynwe the lake the wermys up he shette, 5428
Sauff among alle behynde was lefft on;
And ageyn hym this Hercules anon
Off knyhthod cauhte so gret auauntage,
That to the contre he dede no mor damage. 5432
No one ever Thus al that cuete may rehersed be
had more fame nr i 11.11 J
or excellence in Touchyng kuyhthod, prowcssc or prudence,
arms; Glorious fame or long felicite,
This knyhtli man hadde most excellence, 5436
And in armys lengest experience.
He parted the
Achelous,
which before
that time had
done great
damage.
He next slew
all but one of
the horrible
serpents of
Lake Lerna.
5405. tirant] Geauwt R. 5406. wliilom]] sumtyme R.
5411. departe R. 5415. the] and the B.
5420. wormeesi mees B, H, P, mes R, J, H S, wormees R 3.
5435. Glorious] by glorious H.
BK.
I]
Hercules and Deianeira
153
5444
5448
5452
For his tryumphes and actis marclall
Sette up pliers for a memoriall,
Which remembrid his conquestis most notable, 5440
And his deedis bi grauyng dede expresse —
Beyonde which no lond is habitable.
So ferr abrod spradde his hih noblesse.
But as the sonne lesith his brihtnesse
Sumwhile whan he is fresshest in his speer,
With onwar cloudis that sodenli appeer,
Semblabli the noblesse and the glory
Off Hercules in this onstable liff
Eclipsid was and shadwid his memory
Bi Deianira, that whilom was his wiff:
For bi hir fraude cam in the mortal striff,
As ye shal heere the maner and the cas,
Wherbi that he loste his liff, alias.
Yit for hir sake, this most manli man*
Fauht, as I fynde, a synguler bataile
With Achelous, sone off the occian,
Lik as poetis make rehersaile.
And as ech other proudli dede assaile.
This Hercules, off knyhthod souereyne.
Rente from his hed oon off his homys tweyne.
Off kyng Oene she was the doubter deere.
To Hercules ioyned in mariage;
And as thei cam to a gret ryuere
With sturdi wawes, wher was no passage,
Nessus, the geaunt, ougli off visage,
To Hercules profred his seruise,
And ful falsli ageyn hym gan deuise.
Made his promys to Hercules in deede.
To putte his liff in gret auenture,
Ouer the strem Deianire to leede,
Because he was large off his stature.
And for she was a riht fair creature.
Whan thei were passid and Icome to londe,
Nessus falsli wolde vpon the stronde
5443. his hih] is his H, his J, H 5.
5449. shadowde R. 5450. whilom] sumtyme R.
S4SI. the]owt. H, P, R 3. 5453. that] am. H.
S4S4- ^*" stanza is transposed with the next B, H.
S458. other] (wi.R, 5460. Rente] Sent R — homvs] armvs R.
5461. OemeR,J. 5462. in]bi R. 5467. ayens R.
5464
5468
5472
and as a mem-
oriaJ to his
martial deeds
he set up the
Pillars of
Gades.
Yet the glory
of Hercules was
tarnished by
the fraud
of his wife
Deianeira,
5456
5460
although he
fought Ache-
lous, son of the
ocean, for her
sake.
She was daugh-
ter of King
CEneus; and
once when she
and Hercules
came to a river,
the giant
Nessus ottered
to carry her
across.
but when they
arrived at the
other side, he
attempted her
virtue, and
Hercules
wounded him
mortally with
an arrow.
154 'Tb^ Death of Hercules [bk. i
Ha[ue] knowe hir flesshli, lik as writ Guide,
Hercules hauyng therofF a siht, 5476
As he abood vpon the tother side.
And for tauenge hym off his grete onriht,
Took his bowe and bente it anon riht,
And with an arwe, filid sharp & grounde, 5480
GafF to Nessus his dedli fatal wounde.
His last re- Lich a conduit gusshed out the blood,
quest was that »ii i iii !•
Deianeira give And whan he sauh that he muste deie,
his blood-stained nnr~»*"rri i i i
shirt to Her- 1 o Ueianite attorn tiym ther she stood, 5484
cu es. With al his herte hire he gan to preie.
That in o thyng his lust she wolde obeie,
To take his sherte, and be nat rech[e]les,
With blood disteyned, and sende it Hercules, 5488
so that he and Thcrwith to hym to be reconcilid. [p. 68]
she might be . , , , ,-' , , ,
reconciled. And shc the shette to riym anon tiath sent,
But when Her- rT-ii !» n i I'l'ii
cuies put it on 1 hotuh whos venym, alias, tie was begiiid !
terrMy^ ^"" ^° Fof what be touchyng, & what benchauwtement, 5492
His flessh, his bonys furiousli were brent,
And among his dedli peynes alle,
Into a rage he sodenli is falle.
that he ran [And] as 3 beeste furiousli he ran 5496
about like a^^, .,.,,. . .
madman, up- (Jn valis, hillis among the craggi stonys,
broke the"^' SemblabH as doth a wood[e] man,
and"gn°awed"'' PulHd up ttccs & rootis al attonys,
thus came' fo"*^ Btak beestis hornys, & al tognew ther bonys. 5500
his end. Was it nat pite that a knyht so good
Sholde among beestis renne sauagyne & wood!
It was all be- Thus ouerwhelmyd was al his worthynesse,
cause he aiii i* *
trusted in And to declyn wente his prosperite. 5504
rh°aTcouragr' And cause & roote off al his wrechidnesse,
donXrn'inr" Was for that he sette his felicite
and philosophy ^Q ttustc SO mochc the mutabilite
should have
been darkened Off these women, which erli, late & soone 5508
by their sleight! i • j i
Ott ther nature braide vpon the moone.
5475. lik] om. H. 5481. fatall dedly H. 5482. guysshed R.
5483. sauh] sije J. 5484. to forn R.
5485. gan] began R, bigan J, biganne H 5 — to] om. J.
5493. were] was R, H. 5496. And]o7n.H.
5497. On] In H — valeis R, valeys P, valeies H 5.
5502. sauagyne] sauage R, J, R 3, P, H 5.
5503. was] as R. 5505. al] om. R. 5506. his] al his R.
5508. late] om. R.
BK. l]
Tbf Envoy to Hercules
155
Alias, alias! al noblesse & prudence,
Prowesse off armys, force & cheualrie,
Forsihte off wisdam, discrecioun & science, 5512
Vertuous studie, profityng in clergie,
And the deer shynyng off philosophie,
Hath thoruh fals lustis been heerafom manacid,
Be sleihte off women dirkid and diiFacid! 5516
O Hercules, my penne I feele quake,
Myn ynke fulfillid ofF bittir teris sake,
Thi[s] pitous tragedie to write for thi sake,
Whom alle poetis glorefie and exalte; 5520
But fraude off women made thi renoun halte,
And froward muses thi tryuwphes al toreende,
For to descryue, alias, thi fatal eende.
Hercules, my
pen trembles,
my ink is
filled with
bitter tears
when I write
your history.
5524
.v=;28
[Lenvoye.]
THE soote venym, the sauouri fals poisoun.
The dreedful ioie, the dolerous plesaunce.
The woful gladnesse, with furious resouw,
Feith disespeired, ay stable in variaunce,
Vertu exilyng, where lust hath gouemaurzce,
Thoruh fals luxurie difFacen al noblesse.
As this tragedie can here ful weel witnesse.
Wher froward Venus hath dominacioun,
And biynde Cupide his subiectis doth auaunce.
And wilful lust thoruh indiscrecioun
Is chose iuge to holden the ballaunce,
Ther chois onlefFul hath thoruh onhappi chaunce
Dirked off pryncis the famous hih prowesse.
As this tragedie can here ful weel witnesse.
O thou Hercules, for al thyn hih renoun.
For al thi conquest and knyhtli suflSsaunce,
Thou* were thoruh women brouht to confusioun 5540
And thoruh ther fraude thi renom?ned puissaunce
Disclaundred was and brouht onto myschaunce.
5511. armys] nature R.
SS 14. off] of al R. 5515. lust H — her afor be R.
SSi7-0]om. R. 5518. ofr]witi7R. 5519. This] Thi H.
5521. But] by H.
5526. The] om. R — witi] the R, J, H 5 — resoun] tresoun H.
5527. dispeired R.
5535. chois] chose R. 5536. prowesse] noblesse R.
5538. thyn] thy H.
5540. Thou were] Thouh thou were B, Thoruh werre R.
5532
36
TTiis tragedy
bears witness
to the ruin
wrought by
licentiousQess.
Where Venus
and Cupid rule,
the fame of
princes is dark-
ened.
Hercules, I am
ashamed to say
that, for all
your high re-
nown, you were
brought to
confusion by
women.
156 Narcissus, Byblis and Myrrha [|bk. i
I were ashamed to write it or expresse,
Except this tragedie can here me weel witnesse. 5544
Eihe'^l^'rcercsT Pfyncis, Pryncessis, off hih discrecioun
temputioi"^" '^^^^ t^»yng enprentith in your remembraunce;
Off othres fallyng make your proteccioun,
You to preserue thoruh prudent purueiaunce; 5548
AfForn prouyded, that your perseueraunce
Be nat perturbid bi no fals sorceresse.
As this tragedie off other berth witnesse.
[A processe, of Narcisus, Biblis, Mirra and of othir
ther onforttinys to Bochas compleynyng.] ^
Bybiifand 'VfARCISUS, Bibh's & Mirra, alle thre 5552
Myrrha declare -i- ^ Tofor BochflJ dcde pitOUsH appCetC,
their unhappi- »-r^i . /- i . ~ ,. .
ness to Bochas. 1 her miortunyes, ther mrelicite
To hym compleynyng with a dedli cheere.
And off ther comyng to telle the manere, 5556
Narcisus first, with sorwe & dool atteynt,
Gan first off alle declaren his compleynt.
Narcissus, son He was [the] sonc off Cephesus* the flood,
of Cephissus . 1 1 • 1 11- 1 T • •
and Liriope. And his mooder caliid Liriope, 5560
Jende Wo^d And bi discent born off gentil blood,
of Mlatures'"^ Off cteatutes fairest on to see;
And, as I fynde, at his natyuite
Tiresias,* be sperit off prophesie, 5564
Touchyng his fate thus gan specefie:
Tiresias fore- The goddis han prouydid hym a space
told that his „, , ^ . i i i i
life would end lo lyue m erthc, and so ionge endure
beheld his own Til that he knowe & see his owne face; 5568
many^rVri^^ And for his sakc ful many creature,
would love him gj ordynauwcc off God and off Nature,
in vain, lor no -^ , '
woman was Whan thei hym seen shal feelyn ful gret peyne,
beautiful ,..,•' ,. -^ *= r J ^
enough to pieascYirr thci m louc his grace may nat atteyne. 5572
him.
5543. it3 om. R — to expr(?sse R. 5544- me^ full H.
5546. enprinted R. 5SSO. soceresse R.
5551. berth] berls H. 5553. lohn Bochas H. 5558. Bigan R.
5559. 1st the] om. H — Cephesus] Thephesus B, H, R 3 —
off] to H.
5560. lynope R. 5564. Thiresias B.
5565. MSS. R, J, H 5 transpose lines 5846-73 and the Envoy
(5873-5901) mi^ /ini?j- 5566-5845.
,5566. Opposite this stanza the following rubric in MS.]: Ouidius
X°. et XI°. de transformatis. 5566. for hym R.
1 MS. J. leaf 29 recto.
BK. I^
The Story of Narcissus
^S7
But he shal be contrarie* & daungerous, [p. 69]
And off his port ful off straungenesse,
And in his herte [riht] inli surquedous,
Bi thoccasioun off his natif faimesse; 5576
And, presumyng ofF his semlynesse,
Shal thynke no woman so fresh nor fair of face,
That able were to stonden in his grace.
And for thexcellence off his gret beute, 5580
He hym purposid in his tendre age,
Neuer in his lifF weddid for to be —
He thouhte hymsilfF so fair off his visage.
For which he cast hym, throuh his gret outrage, 5584
Ageyn all lustis off loue to disdeyne,
To hunte at beestis alone and be soleyne.
And in this while that he kepte hym so
In forestis and in wildimesse, 5588
A water goddesse, that callid was Echcho,
Loued hym ful hoote for his gret faimesse;
And secreli dede hir besynesse
To folwe his steppis riht as any lyne, 5592
To hir desirs to make hym to enclyne.
He herde hir weel, but he sauh hir nouht,
WherofF astonyd, he gan anon tenquere,
As he that was amerueilid in his thouht, 5596
Saide euene thus, " is any wiht now heere ?"
And she ansuerde the same, in hir manere,
What-euer he saide, as longeth to Echcho,
Withoute abod she seide the same also. 5600
" Come neer," quod he, and began to calle.
" Come ner," quod she, " my ioie & my plesaunce."
He lokid aboute [among] the rokkis alle
And sauh nothyng beside nor in distaunce; 5604
But she abraide, declaryng hir greuaunce.
And to hym seide, " myn owyn herte deere,
Ne be nat straunge, but late us duelle ifeere."
And so it
turned out.
Early in life
he thought
himself
too handsome
to marry and
became a
hunter.
But a water-
nymph named
Eicho, attracted
by his great
beauty,
followed
him, calling.
Yet he saw no
one; and
whatever he
said, the
answered
in the same
words.
" My own dear
heart, let us
dwell
together."
5573. contraire B.
5577, semblenesse R. 5578. Shal th\-nke] om. R.
5581. purposid hym R. 5582. for] om. H.
5583. his] om. R. 5586. soleyne] slayne R.
5591. secreli] sikyrly R. 5593. Inclyne R.
5595. began R. 5600. also] hyjn to R.
5603. the]thesR.
5605. & declaryng R. 5607. but] om. H.
IS8
Narcissus and Echo
[bk. I
"NO'"„^e^re- " Nay, nay," quod he, " I will nothyng obeie 5608
rather die, go To youF dcsirs, foF short conclusioun;
s^eak to me " FoF Icucre I haddc pleynli for to deie,
any more. Xhan ye sholde haue off me possessioun;
We be nothyng off on opynyouw, 5612
I heere you weel, thouh I no figure see,
Goth foorth your way & spek no mor to me!"
Ashamed, she And she ashamcd fledde hir way anon,
hid herself in a . , , , „ , -' ,
cave. Since As shc that myhte ott hym no socour haue. 5616
that time men y> ^» •ii*t^ii * r 1
have heard her Dut disespeired, this iLchcho IS lootth gon
has'^never been And hiddc hitsilfF in an ougli caue
seen. Among the rokkis, as beried in hir graue.
And thouh so be that men hir vois may heere, 5620
Afftir that tyme she neuer dede appeere.
And thus Narcisus thoruh daunger and disdeyn
Vpon this lady dede crueli vengauwce.
^kV with'^"^ But whan the goddis his cruelte han seyn, 5624
Towardis hym thei fill in gret greuauwce,
Off his vnmerci thei hadden displesauwce;
And riht as he merciles was fouwde.
So with onmerci he cauhte his dedli wouwde. 5628
For al dauwger displesith to Venus,
And al disdeyn is lothsum to Cupide:
For who to loue is contrarious.
The God of Loue will quite hym on sum side, 5632
His dreedful arwis so mortali deuyde
To hurte & mayme alle that* be rech[e]les,
And in his seruise fouwde* merciles.
And for Narcisus was nat merciable 5636
Toward Echcho, for his gret beute.
But in his port was fouwden ontretable,
Cupide thouhte he wolde auengid be,
As he that herde hir praier off pite, 5640
Causyng Narcisus to feele & haue his part
Off Venus brond and off hir firi dart.
angry with
Narcissus for
his cruelty to
Echo,
and as he was
so disdainful
they resolved
to punish him.
5614. &P ye R — to3 ffhh R.
5617. dispeired R. 5619. as] and R.
5621. dede] durst R
5622. Rubric in J, leaf 29 d: "How Narcisus, Biblis, and Mirra,
deied atte mischefF." Misplaced owing to transposition of
stanzas.
5623. this] the R. 5624. had R. 5634. that] tho B.
5635. be founde B.
BK. l]
The End of Narcissus
159
And on a day whan he in wildimesse
Hadde afftir beestis ronne on huntyng, 5644
And for long labour gan falle in werynesse,
He was desirous to ha[ue] sum refresshyng;
And wonder thrustleuh afFtir trauailyng,
Miht nat endure lengere ther to duelle; 5648
And atte laste he fond a cristal welle,
Riht fressh spryngyng & wonder agreable,
The watir lusti and delectable ofFsiht:
And for his thrust was to hym inportable, 5652
Vpon the brynkis he fill doun anon riht,
And be reflexioun, myd off the watir briht
Hym thouhte he sauh a passyng fair ymage
To hym appeere, most aungelik off visage. 5656
He was enamoured with the semlynesse, [p. 70]
And desirous theroff to stonde* in grace;
And yit it was nat but a likenesse,*
And but a shadwe reflectyng off his face, 5660
The which off feruence amerousli tenbrace,
This Narcisus with a pitous compleynt
Sterte into the welle & hymseluen dreynt.
And thus his beute, alias, was leid ful lowe, 5664
His semlynesse put ful ferre a-bak;
Thus whan that he gan first hymsilff to knowe
And seen his visage, in which ther was no lak.
Presumptuous pride causid al to gon to wrak: 5668
For who to moch doth off hymsilff presume,
His owne vsurpyng will sonest hyw consume.
And fynali, as poetis telle,
This Narcisus, withoute mor socour, 5672
Afftir that he was drowned atte welle.
The heuenli goddis dede hym this fauour,
Thei turned hym into a fressh[e] flour,
5644. ronne on] runen in R. 5646. sum]] otn. R.
5647. wonder] om. P, R 3 — thrustleuh] theugh seluth R 3.
5651. delitable R. 5652. importable R, H.
5654. myd] in myddis R.
5657. with] for H, R 3 — sembl>Tiesse R.
5658. to stonde therofF B. 5659. likenesse] liklynesse B.
5663. hymseluen dreynt] hym siliF he dreynt R, hym siliF
dreynt H, so himsilf he dreynt J. 5664. ful] om. H.
5668. to gon] go R.
5671. as] as thes olde R, as bese oolde H, as these P, as theis
olde H s.
5675. a] a ful R.
One day,
wearied by the
chase and very
thirsty, he
found a spring,
and seeing a
most angelic
image redected
in the still
tried to em-
brace it in his
arms and fell
in and was
drowned.
That was the
end of Narci»-
sus's beauty.
Presumptuous
pride caused
his fall.
After his death
the gods
turned him
into a water
lily; and books
say that it is a
good remedy
for sudden
fevers.
l6o The Fate of Byblis [bk. i
A watir-lelle, which doth remedie 5676
In hote accessis, as bookis specefie.
Byblis appeared A FFTIR Nafcisus was at the well[e] dreynt,
with 'her brother -tjL And to lohn Boch^j" declared hadd his wo,
Biblis appered, with teris al bespreynt, 5680
And toward hym a gret pas she gan go;
And hir brother Caunus* cam also,
And off o wombe as gemellis tweyne;
But she toforn hir fate gan compleyne. 5684
whom she loved She in hir loue was nat vertuous,
against nature ^ /-^ t i t;^ t i
and law. hox ageyn (jod and Kyndis ordynaunce,
She loued hir brother that callid was Caunus;*
And whan he sauh hir froward gouernauwce, 5688
listen °to her°^ He outo hire gafF non attend aunce,
Thouh she off sleihte tacowplisshe hir entent,
In secre wise a pistil to hym sent.
although she She seide it was an inpossible thyng 5692
wrote him a ..^y. , , • i • i r
letter saying Withoute his gtace hirselueu tor to saue,
die uniess'he [And] but he wete to hire assentyng,
assented. gj^^ g||jg pjeynli may non helthe haue
But onli deth, and afFtirward hir graue. 5696
Thus in hir writyng, to hym she dede attame;
And to be couert she ne wrot no name.
He paid no But whan this pistil cam to his presence,
attention toit, ,, i-i i ^• ^
and Byblis Vertuousli thetat he gan disdeyne, 5700
siSntly ^hat Aud gafF thetto no maner aduertence,
finaify'llrned Not took non heed ofF hir furious peyne,
foun't'lb.' ^"^ sulFred hir eternali to pleyne
Til that she was, as Guide can weel telle, 5704
With ofFte wepyngis transformed to a welle.
Myrrhaun- "V TEXT Cam Mirra with face ful pitous,
naturally loved ' ^ i "^ '
Cinyras, and
N
her father X ^ Which that whilom loued ageyn nature
Hir owne fadir callid Cinarus, 5708
5676. lelie] like R {corrected in later hand to lilie).
5678. AfFtir Jjat H. 5679. hadd] om. R.
5682. Cannus B, Canus R, Cammus H, Cannus J, Caunus P.
5687. Cannus B — callid was] om. J.
5688. he] she R — gouernaunce] greuaunce R.
5691. secre] sikir R. 5700. therat he gan] began ther at R.
5702. Nor] Neither R, J, om. H — non] nouthir noon H,
5705. wepyng R. 5707. whilom] sum tyme R.
BK. l]
The Story of Myrrh a
i6i
For whos sake gret peyne she dede endure.
But she ne durste hir sorwe nat discure,
Til hIr norice be signes dede espie
The hertll constreynt off hir maladie. 5712
For hir norice, off which that I ha[ue] told,
Conceyued hath, bi open euidence,
As she that koude bothe off newe and old
In such materis al hool thexperience, 5716
That thoruh long labour & sleihti diligence,
Dyuers meenes & weies out she souhte,
To hir fadres bed that she Mirra brouhte.
With whom she hadde hir lust & hir plesaunce; 5720
For she onknowe lay with hym al nyht:
He was deceyued bi drunkleuh ignoraunce,
And on the morwe, longe or any liht.
She stal awey and went out off his siht. 5724
With hir norice kepte hir longe cloos,
Til onto tyme that hir wombe aroos.
But hir fadir, that was off Cipre kyng,
Which, as I tolde, was callid Cinarus, 5728
Whan he the trouthe espied off this thyng:
That bi his doubter he was deceyued thus.
She wex to hym lothsum and odious,
Fledde from his face, so sore she was afferd, 5732
And he pursued afftir with his suerd.
In Arabic, the hoote myhti lond,
Kyng Cinarus hath his doubter founde,
And crueli he gan enhaunse his bond, 5736
With his suerd tayouen hir a wounde;
But the goddis, off merci most habounde,
Han fro the deth[e] maad hire [to] go fre.
And thoruh ther power transfowrmed to a tre. 5740
Whiche afftir hire berith yit the name, [p. 71]
Callid Mirra, as she was in hir liff.
Out off which, as auctours sey the same,
Distillith a gomwe, a gret preseruatiff, 5744
And off nature a ful good defensiff,
5710. But] For R. 571 1, hir] his R.
5718. weyes and meenes R. 5722. dronklee R 3.
5725. hir longe] hir silfF H. 5726. the tyme R, H.
5734. Arabia H. 5736. he gan] bigan R.
5737. tayouen] to yiffen R — his] hir H.
5738. oflTjoOT. R. 5743. as] om. R.
her nurse so
contrived that
she accom-
plished her
desire.
deceiving him
when drunk.
But as she
became preg-
nant, her
father found it
out and was so
angry that he
chased her all
the way to
Arabia, and
would have
slain her had
not the gods
transformed
her mto a tree.
from which we
obtain myrrh,
that is very
useful for keep-
ing dead bodies
from cor-
rupting.
l62
Myrrhas Son Adonis
[bk. I
Myrrh is en-
gendered by
the sunbeams.
Venus fell in
love with him,
To keepe bodies from putrefacciou7i
And hem frauwchise from al corrupcioun.
Bi influence off the sonne-bemys 5748
Mirre is engendrid, distillyng off his kynde
With rounde dropis ageyn[es] Phebus stremys,
And doun descendith thoruh the harde rynde.
And thoruh the rifftis, also as I fynde, 5752
The said[e] Mirra hath a child foorth brouht,
In al this world, that yifF it be weel souht,
Myrrha's child Was non SO faitfe] fourmed bi nature;
was called .— „... . .
Adonis, and i^ ot ott his beute he was pereles. 5756
And as poetis recorden bi scripture,
He callid was the faire Adonydes;
And to his worshep and his gret encres —
For he off fairnesse bar awei the flour — 5760
Venus hym ches to been hir paramour.
The which[e] goddesse gaflF to hym in charge,
That he sholde in his tendre age,
In forestis whil he wente at large, 5764
Hunte at no beestis which that were sauage;
But he contrary, to his disauauwtage,
Thoruh wilfulnesse — I can sey you* no mor —
Was slayn onwarli oflf a tusshi bor, 5768
At the whiche he felli dede enchace.
But off foli in veyn was his labour;
For he lay slayn, ful pale off^ cheer & face.
Whom Venus turned to a ful fressh[e] flour 5772
Which was as blood, lich purpil off^ colour,
A budde off gold with goodli leuys glade
Set in the myddis, whos beute may nat fade.
and told him
not to hunt
beasts that
were savage.
But he paid
no attention to
her, and was
killed by a
wild boar.
whereupon
Venus turned
him iuto a
crimson flower.
AND wha« [that] Mirra fro Bochas was
withdrawe.
After Myrrha
had withdrawn
herself, Or-
ma'n.'appeared. And hadde decland hir gret aduersite.
And off hir fate told the mortal lawe.
Cam Orpheus, ful ougli on to see,
Sone off Appollo and off Calliope,
5776
5780
5764. at large^ alarge R. 5767. you sey B.
5768. tusshi] tuskye R.
5773. as] a R — lich] of R, J — ofF] the R, \,e J.
5778. hir] his R.
BK. l]
Orpheus and Eurydice
163
And appered with a ful doolful face.
Whilom brouht foorth and ibom in Trace.
Ful renommed in armys and science,
Famous in musik and in melodie, 5784
And ful notable also in eloquence.
And for his soote sugred armonie,
Beestis, foulis, poetis specefie,
Wodes, flodes off ther cours most strong, 5788
Stynt of* ther cours to herkne his soote song.
An harpe he hadde off Mercurius,
With the which Erudice he wan;
And to Bachus*, as writ Ouidius, 5792
Sacrifises ful solempne he began,
And onto helle for his wifF he ran,
Hir to recure with soote touchis sharpe
Which that he made vpon his heuenli harpe. 5796
But whan that he this labour on hym took,
A lawe was maad[e] which that bond hym sore,
That yifF that he bakward caste his look.
He sholde hire lese & seen his wifF no more: 5800
But it is seid[e] sithen gon ful yore,
Ther may no lawe louers weel constreyne,
So inportable is ther dedli peyne.
Yiff summe husbondis hadde stonden in the cas 5804
Ta* lost her wyues for a look sodeyne,
Thei wolde ha[ue] sufFred and nat seid alias,
But pacientli endured al ther peyne,
And thanked God, that broken was the cheyne 5808
Which hath so longe hem* in prisoun bounde.
That thei be grace han such a fredam founde.
To lyn in prisoun, it is a ful gret charge.
And to be stokked vndir keie and lok; 5812
It were weel meriere a man to gon at large,
He was famous
for his music
and eloquince.
Even the rivers
ceased to now
when he sang.
Mercuo' gave
him a harp,
with which he
won Eurj-dice
back from hell.
He was not to
look behind,
else he would
lose her.
But I think
there are some
husbands who,
if a sudden
look had lost
them their
wives,
would have
put up with it
very patiently
and thanked
God.
It is much
more pleasant
to be free
than nailed to
a block.
5781. appered] appeere H — ful] om. R.
5782. Whilom] Some tyme R. 5783. and] & in R, J, H 5.
5789. Stynt of] Styntid B — ther] om. H 5. 5790. herpe H.
5792. Bachus] bochas B, R 3.
5793. ful solempne] solenne R.
5799. bakkard R. 5803. Importable H.
5805. Ta] To ha B — in MS. J. opposite this stanza in a laUr
band: " a trew saying."
5807. ther] the R. 5809. hem so longe B.
581 1, lyn] ligge R, Hue P. 5812. be] ly H.
5813. meriere] myrie R, merie J, mery H 5.
164
Orpheus^ Advice to Husbands
[bk. I
However, Or-
pheus loved
Eurydice, and,
after all, lost
her,
and never
married again.
He got off
very easily. A
man who once
escapes the
snare isn't apt
to go back to
it.
Than with Irenes be nailed to a blok:
And there is o bond, which calHd is wedlok,
Fretyng husbondis so sore, that it is wonder, 5816
Which with no file may nat be broke assonder.
But Orpheus, fadir off armonye,
Thouhte Erudice, which was his wiff, so fair,
For hir sake he felte he muste deie, 5820
Because that he, whan* he made his repair.
Off hir [in] trouthe enbracid nothyng but hair.
Thus he lost hire, there is no mor to seyne;
And for the constreynt ofF his greuous peyne, 5824
At his herte hir partyng sat so sore, [p. 72]
The greene memorie*, the tendre remembrauwce,
That he neuer wolde wyuen more.
So faire he was escapid his penauwce; 5828
For wedlok is a lifF off most plesaunce.
But who hath onys infernal peynys seyn,
Will neuer his thankis come in the snare ageyn.^
Orpheus gave
very important
advice to hus-
bands; he said
that if one hell
This Orpheus gaff couwseil ful notable
To husbondis that han endurid peyne.
To such as been prudent and tretable:
wor«'!' ^''° "^ Oon hell is dreedful, mor pereilous be tweyne;
And who is onys bouwdyn in a cheyne.
And may escapen out off dauwger blyue —
Yiff he resorte, God let hym neuer thryue!
But women
were not
edified by
these words, and
so they slew
him at the
festival of
Bacchus.
On this sentence women wer vengable.
And to his writyng ful contrarious,
Seide his couwseil was nat comendable.
At the feste thei halwed to Bachus,
Thei fill echon vpon tRis Orpheus;
And, for alle his rethoriques suete,
Thei slouh, alias, this laureat poete.
5832
5836
5840
5844
5814. Irnes R — to] OOT. R. 5815. And] But R, J, H 5.
5816. Fretyng] Fetteryng R.
5817. no]aR, J, Hs, P — nat]oOT. R3.
5820. he felte] felte that R.
5821. that he whan] whan that B.
5822. in] om. R — no thyng enbracid R.
5826. memoire B. 5830. peyn R.
5835. mor] & more R.
5839. On] Vpon R. 5844. rethorik R.
^ MS. J. leaf 30 verso, in red in margin:
secundas spreuit nupcias."
"Ob quam c3.m
BK. l]
Marpessa and Lampedo
l6!
5848
.=58^2
And off his harpe yiff ye list to lere,
The god Appollo maad a translacioun
Among the ymages off the sterns cleere,
WTieroff men* may haue yit inspeccioun.
But Fortune, to his confusioun,
Denyed hym, froward off hir nature,
Whan he was slajm fredam off sepulture.
NEXT Orpheus, ther dede appeere also
Off Amazones worthi queenys tweyne,
Marpesia and hir suster Lampedo,
Which in conquest dede ther besi peyne.
And gret worship in armys dede atteyne,
Namyng hemsilff, be writyng nyh and ferr,
Douhtren to Mars, which is the God off Werr.
Marpesia rood out in regiouns
And conquered ful many a gret cite.
For couetise off gret possessiouns,
Tencrece hir lordshepe, yiff it wolde be.
And hir suster kepte surli ther contre
From alle enmyes, that ther was no doute,
Whil Marpesia rood with hir host aboute.
But whil she was in conquest most famous
And hir enmyes proudli dede assaile.
Fortune anon wex contrarious.
And causid she was slay[e]n in bataile.
Loo, what conquest or victory may auaile.
Whan that Fortune doth at hem disdeyne;
Seeth heer exaumple bi these queenys tweyne.
^ Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie reme^wbrith thynges fyue:
Off Narcisus thexcellent beute.
And off Biblis doth also descryue
The grete luxur[y]e and dishoneste,
Mirra diffamed, turned to a tre,
5846. OpposiU this stanza the follotoing rubric in MS. J. leaf
29 b. margin: "Ouidius X°. et XJ°. de transformitis."
5846. lere] here R, J. 5847. god] god of R.
5849. men] man B, H — yit] clere J, H 5 — haue yit] vitte
have cleer R.
5863. lordshippis H. 5865. From] Off R — that] so bat R.
5871. what] om. R. 5876. doth] deth R.
5877. luxurye] luxuride R,
You can see
his harp in the
sky, for ApoUo
translated it to
the stars.
Two queens of
the Amazons
followed Or-
pheus,
Marpessa and
Lampedo.
.8.^6
5860
5864
Marpessa wa«
slain in battle,
cg5g a common fate
■^ of conquerors.
5872
5876
These
tragedies shew
that licentious-
ness and pri Je
are very far
removed from
virtue.
1 66
Priam of Troy and Troy Book
Cbk.
Orpheus' life
was of mingled
joy and ad-
versity.
Texemplefie that lecherie and pride
Been from al vertu set ful ferr a-side.
How Orpheus endured in his lyue
loie entirmedlid with aduersite;
In his youthe whan he dede wyue
He felte in wedlok ful gret feHcite,
His woridli blisse meynt with duplicite,
As Fortune hir chaungis gan deuyde,
Which from al vertu be set ful ferr a-side.
Marpessa made Marpcsia, for hir list to stryue
war wantonly _... , ..^ , . "^ , .
and came to a With wiliul wems tencrecen hir contre,
sudden end. t» i • 111
but hir pompe was ouerturned biyue,
Whan in bataile vnwarli slayn was she:
For off al werre deth is the fyn parde,
So furious Mars can for his folk prouide,
Which from al vertu is set ful ferr a-side.
5880
5884
Princes, flee
pride and lust,
and do not be
guided by
avarice. Such
things are set
far aside
from virtue.
Ye myhti Pryncis, lat wit and resouw dryue
Your hih noblesse to considre and see
How Fortune estatis can depryue
And plunge hem down from ther prosperite.
Pride and luxure, I couwsaile, that ye fle,
Fals auarice ne lat nat be your guide,
Which from al vertu is set ful ferr a-side.
5892
5896
S900
After this,
Bochas began
to think of
Priam,
[Off Priamus kyng of Troye, and how the monke of
Bury translatour of this book wroot a boke of
the siege of Troye callid Troye book.] ^
AFFTIR these compleyntis & lamentaciouns,
Which [that] Bochas dede in his book compile,
Medlid among with transformaciouns 5904
Set in Ouide be ful souereyn stile.
Whan he on hem hadde musid a long while,
Seyn the* maner bothe off ther sorwe & ioie,
He gan remembre on Priamus off Troie. 5908
5889. hir] his H.
5894. v<rrtues R.
5895. This stanza is omitted in R. 5899. luxurye H.
5904. transmutaciouns R.
5907. the] ther B — of ther] the R, H.
5908. to remembre R — on] of R, H.
'MS. J. leaf 31 recto.
BK. l]
Priam and the Troy Book
167
First off" his berthe and off* his kenreede, [p. 73]
How among k3mges he was most famous;
And as poetis recorde off" hym in deede,
He descendid of worthi Dardanus, 5912
Which, as his lyne declareth onto vs,
From lubiter was lyneaH come doun
Onto his fader caUid kyng Lamedoun.
Off" olde Troie this Lamedoun was kyng; 5916
Destroied hi Grekis he and his contre.
Afftir whom, [this] Priamus regnyng,
Made there ageyn a myhti strong cite,
Where he ful longe in ful gret rialte, 5920
With wiff^ and childre, most worthi of renoun,
With sceptre & crowne heeld possessioun.
Gouemed his cite in pes and rihtwisnesse.
And Fortune was to hym fauourable; 5924
For off" al Asie the tresour and richesse
He dede assemble, this kyng most honourable.
And in armys he was so comendable,
That thoruh the world as ferr as men may gon, 592S
Off" hih noblesse the renoun off" hym shon.
This Priamus hadde childre many 00^
Worthi pryncis, & ofi^ ful gret myht;
Bat Ector was among hem euerichon 5932
Callid ofi^ prowesse the lanteme & the lyht;
For ther was neuer bom a bettir knyht.
Troilus in knyhthod so manli eek was founde,
That he was named Ector the secouwde. 5936
But yiff" I shulde reherse the manheede
Ofi^ kyng Priam & off" his sonys all.
And how his cite besieged* was in deede.
And al the story to remembraunce call, 5940
Tween hym & Grekis how it is befall,
The circumstaunces rehersjmg vp & doun,
To sette in ordre the firste occasioun
Off^ the siege, whi it was first laid 5944
Bi Hercules and also bi lason, —
The maner hool in Troie Book is said,
5912, Dardanus] Dacianus R, Damamus J, H 5.
5918. this] om. H, R3.
5921. wiff] his wiff R. 5922. heeld] heeld the R.
5924. hym] om. R. 5925. all of R. 5933. & the] of R.
S93S. eek] om. R. 5939. besegied B. 5941. Betwene R.
who was a
•descendant of
Dardanus
and Jupiter
through his
father
Laomedon.
He ruled in
I>eace and
righteousness
and had many
children, of
whom Hector
and Troflus
were the best
knights.
But there is no
need of my
telling you his
story here.
for I have
already told it
as well as I
could in the
Troy Book,
1 68
King Henry V and the Troy Book
[bk. I
which I trans-
lated
for King Henry
the Fifth, who
was a very
great man,
chief defender
of the church,
an enemy of
the Lollards,
and diligent to
bring
peace to Eng-
land and
France.
Alas, he died
too soon!
May God give
his soul good
rest with holy
saints in
heaven!
Reudli endited ofF my translacioun,
Folwyng vpon the destruccloun 5948
Callid the seconde, which, hi acountis cleer,
Fulll endured the space ofF ten yeer, —
For, as me semeth, the labour were in veyn.
Treuli also I not to what entent, 5952
That I shold[e] write it newe ageyn;
For I hadde onys in comauwdement,
Bi hym that was most noble & excellent
OfF kynges all[e], for to vndirtake 5956
It to translate and write it for his sake.
And yifF ye list to wetyn whom I meene,
Henry the FifFte, most myhti ofF puissauwce,
GafF me the charge ofF entent most cleene, 5960
Thyng ofF old tyme to putte in remembraunce.
The same Henry, for knyhtli suffisaunce,
Worthi for* manhod, reknyd kynges all,
With nyne worthi for to haue a stall. 5964
To hooli chirch he was chiefF defensour;
In alle such causes Cristes chosen knyht.
To stroie Lollardis he sette al his labour,
Loued alle vertues, and to sustene riht, 5968
Thoruh his noblesse, his manhod & his myht,
Was dilligent & dede his besi peyne
To ha[ue] set pes atween[e] rewmys tweyne, — •
I meene, in sooth, twen Ing[e]land & Fraunce, 5972
His purpos was taue had a pes fynall,
Souhte out menys with many circuwstauwce,
As weel be trete as actis marciall,
Theron iupartid goodis, lifF and all. 5976
But, o alias, ageyn deth is no boone!
This lond may seyn he deied al to soone.
For a-mong kynges he was oon the beste,
So alle his deedis conueied were with grace. 5980
I pray to God, so yiue his soule good teste,
With hooli seyntis in heuene a duellyng-place.
For heere with vs to litil was the space
5954. MS. J: "the monke of Bury," rubricated in margin,
leaf 31 b.
5959, 62. Herry R, H.
5963. for] off B — reknyd] rekene R, J, reken H 5, P.
5967. stroie Lollardis] destrye heritykes R. 5975. be] om. R.
5976. liff goodis R. 5981. so] to R, R 3, om. H.
BK. l]
The Story of Troy
169
That he abood; off whom the remembraunce
Shal neuer deie in Ingland nor in Fraunce.
This worthi kyng gaff to me in charge,
In Inglissh tunge make a translacioun
Out off Latyn, withynne a volum large,
How longe the Grekis lay afor the touw.
And how that Paris first at Citheroun
In Venus temple slili dede his peyne
Ther to rauesshe the faire queen Heleyne.
5984
5988
5992
He bade me
translate the
whole story
from Latin
into English.
It tells how
Paris carried
oflF Helen and
married her,
how Menelaus
and Agamem-
non besieged
Troy,
In which[e] book the processe ye may see: [p. 74]
To hym how she was weddid in the toun.
And off the siege leid to the cite
Be Menelay and* kyng Agamenoun,* 5996
And many another ful worthi off renoun
On outher party, which that in bataile
Fro day to day ech other dede assaile.
What sholde I telle, or wherto sholde I write 6000
The deth off Ector or off Achilles ?
Or wherto sholde I now off newe* endite
How worthi Troilus was slayn among the pres ? —
The eende off Paris or off Pallamydes, 6004
Or the slauhtre off manli Deiphebus,
Or how his brother, callid Helenus,
Told affom how it was gret folie
That Paris sholde wedde the queen Heleyne; 6008
And how Cassandra in hir prophecie
On this weddyng sore gan compleyne,
And for the constreynt off hir hertly peyne.
How she wex mad and ran aboute the toun 6012
Til she was cauht and shet up in prisoun.
Alle these materis ye may beholde in deede
Set bi and bi withynne Troie Book,
And how Cressaide loued Diomeede,
how Hector,
Achilles, Paris
and others
died.
how Cassandra
foretold the
evil that would
follow if Paris
wedded Helen,
and how
they shut her
up in prison
for her noise,
and how
Cressida for-
sook Troilus
for Diomedes.
6016
5986. to] om. R.
5989. to fore R. 5992. rauesshe] reioissh R.
5995- to] vnto R.
5996. Menelay] Meneldy R, H 5, meneldi J — and] and be B
— Agamenoun] Lamedoun B, R, H, J, H 5, R 3.
5998. eithir R.
6002. now off newe] off newe now B, R — now] om. J.
6008. the] this R. 6010. this] the R — bi gan R.
6014. these materis] this mateer R, this matter P.
6016. how] om. R — Crisseide H.
170 Tou must read the Troy Book ! [^bk. i
Whan worthi Trollus she wIlfulH forsook:
Off hir nature a quarel thus she took,
Tassaie bothe, yiff neede eek wer, to feyne
To take the thridde, & leue hem bothe tweyne. 6020
Nor will I tell I [wil] passe ouer and telle off hir no more;
Greeks finally Not bi what menys Grekis wan the toun —
won the town, tt t^ i i a i
and of their How Lueas, nor how that Anthenore
rn'their"home- Ageyn kyng Priam conspired fals tresoun, 6024
rnd'oteses Nor how Vlixes gat Palladioun —
and Penelope, ^hc deth off PHam not Heccuba the queene,
Nor how that Pirrus slouh yonge Polliceene.
v^ou must read Nor hcer to writc, it is nat myn entent, 6028
Repair off Grekis horn to ther contre,
Afftir the cite and Ylioun was brent,
Nor off ther myscheuys thei hadde in the se,
Nor how Vlixes fond Penolope 6032
A trewe wiff, thouh he were longe hir fro; —
Thoruhout al Grece I can reede off no mo.
Off these materes thus I make an eende:
What fell off Grekis afftir ther viage, 6036
To Troie Book the folk echon I sende,
Which haue desir to seen the surplusage,
How Grekis first maden ther passage
Towardis Troie, besegyng the cite — 6040
Redith the story; — ye gete no mor off me.
f Bochas ageyn t)e surquedous pride of hem that
trusten m her riches.^
o^y<j^p^"<^ "VT^E proude folkis that sette* your affiaunce
trust in A In strengthe, beute or in hih noblesse,
strength, beauty, -I r/T- • i t->
nobility, wealth, lit ye considre rortunys variauwce, 6044
remember a J J cr j
Priam's fate! And coude a merout aitor your eyen dresse
6019. eek wer^ wer al so R, were also J, H 5.
6021. wil] om. R, R 3, P, H 5 — hir] it J.
6022. Nor] Neithir R, J.
6023. nor] neithir R, j, H 5, P — that] om. H, J, P, H 5.
6025, 26. Nor] Neithir R. 6026. of Heccuba R.
6029. to] in to R.
6031. Nor] Neithir R — myscheuys] myschefFe R, myschef J,
mischief P, myschifFe H 5 — hadden H.
6032. Nor] Neithir R.
6637. the folk echon] tho folke R. 6041. Redith] Rede R.
6042. sette] setten B. 6043. ira beute R.
^"Here spekith Bochas the AuctOMr of this book/ a-yenst the
surquedous pride of hem that trust/ in richesse seying thise
wordys vnto hem." MS. J. leaf 31 verso.
BK. i^ An Envoy against the Pride of great Wealth 171
CMF kyng Priam and off his gret richesse,
To seen how he and [how] his children all
From ther noblesse so sodenli be fall ! 6048
Ector off knyhthod callid sours and well,
Sad and demur & famous off prudence,
Paris also in beute dede excell,
And Helenus in parfit prouidence; 6052
Troilus in armys hadde gret experience,
Eek Deiphebus preued manli on his fon:
Yit in the werre thei wer slayn euerichon.
Hadde nat this kyng, eek as I can deuise, 6056
Noble Eccuba, which that was the queene,
A doubter callid Cassandra the wise,
Hir yonge suster faire Polliceene ? —
Alias, alias! what may such pride meene! 6060
For al-be-it ther renoun sprang ful ferre,
Yit were these women deuoured in the werre.
Was he nat myhti & strong in all[e] thynges.
And hadde also off his alliaunce 6064
Riht worthi princis, & many riche kynges.
And nyh al Asie vndir obeisaunce ? —
Holde in his tyme most famous off puissaunce,
Most renomwed off richesse and tresours, 6068
Til that Fortune with hir sharp[e] shours.
Whan that he sat hiest on hir wheel, [p. 75]
This blynde goddesse gan hym to assaile.
Hir froward malice, he felte it ful weel: 6072
His gold, his tresour first thei gan to faile.
And dirke gan his roial apparaile.
Be which exauwple all proude men may see
The onseur trust, the mutabilite, 6076
Which in this world is seyn & found* aid ay.
Mid off estatis in ther magnyficence,
Ebbe afftir flowe maketh no delay.
Hector, Paris,
Deiphobus.
Hdeaus, — all
were slain.
Hecuba, Cas-
sandra, and
fair Polyiena,
— tliey too
were devoured
in the war.
Was not
Priam mighty?
Had he not
worthy allies
and almost
all Asia under
hi* rale?
When he sat
highest on her
wheel,_ Fortune
cast him down.
Each man must
take his turn
as it comes
about.
6047. 2nd how] om. R, J, H 5, P.
6054. Eek] Also R — on] in R.
6055. euerichon] echone H.
6056. eek] also R. 6059. faire] yong H.
6060. such] al sich R. 6063. Was] What R.
6066. vndir] vndir his R. 6071. began R.
6073. thei] it R. 6074. derken R.
6077. found] founden B. 6078. In myddis of statis R.
172
The Praise of Poverty
[bk.
But halt hir cours; there is no resistence: 6080
The tide abit nat for no violence;
Ech man that standith off chauwges heer in doute
Mut take his turn as it cometh a-boute.
Let Priam be a Let Priam been to you a cleer merour,
clear mirror to
you, proud
people, who
6084
6088
6092
Ye proude folkis, that sette your affiaunce
put your trust In such veyn glorie,* which fadith as a flour,
thatTdes°as'a And hath ofF bcute heer noon attend aunce.
flower. Yhe world to you cast a ful bittir chauwce:
For whan ye wene* sitte hiest atte fulle,
Than will she rathest your briht[e] fethres pulle.
You have had Ye han wamyngis for to taken heed
enough of how Bexauwple off other, cleer & riht visible,
m°ngied with' How worldli blisse is medlid ay with dreed.
dread. p^^^ yjj^ your rcsouns and wittis be sensible,
Thyng seyn at eye is nat incredible;
And al this doctryn is to you in veyn, 6096
YifF in your tyme ye ha[ue] no chauwges seyn.
Bochas' advice Whcrforc Bochas onto your auail
is to leave t^ i i i- i • •
your vices and T ui prudeutli put you at this issu:
nlm who ca^n Fitst of all he yeueth you this couwsail, 6100
time of need. To leue yout viccs & take you to vertu,
And sette your trust al hooli on \es\x'.
For he may best in myscheefF helpe, & neede,
OfF worldli chauwges that ye thar nat dreede. 6104
When great
lords and dig-
nitaries sit
highest on their
thrones, the
hour of their
decline ap-
proaches.
f The preis of Bochas & suerte that stondith m
pouert.^
THESE grete lordshipes, these hih[e] dignites,
CheefF thyng annexid onto ther regalie,
Whan thei sitten hiest in ther sees,
And round aboute stant ther cheualrie, 6108
Dreed entreth in, pereil and envie,
And onwar chauMg[e], which no man may knowe,
The hour whan Fortune will make hew loute lowe.
6081. abyde R.
6086. gloire B. 6089. wenen B, R.
6094. wittis & resouns R. 6099. Ful3 & H.
6104. chaunges3 thynges H — dare not R.
6106,8. ther] the R. 61 11. loute] om. H.
'"Here also, John Bochas put a grete preisyng and a com-
mendacioun of suerte bat stondith in pouerte / vnder thise
wordis in sentence." MS. J. leaf 32 recto.
BK. l]
The Praise of Poverty
173
Thei may weel holden a statli gret houshold, 61 12
With a veyn trust ther power sholde ay laste,
Clad in ther mantles off purpil, perle & gold,
And on the wheel off Fortune clymbe up faste —
Lich as she myhte neuer doun hem caste; 6116
But ay the hiere ther clymbyng is att all,
Alias, the sorere is ther onhappi fall.
The fal off Priam and kyng Agamenoun
Ouhte off riht mor to be compleynyd, 6120
Whan Fortune hadde hem puUid doun
And off hir malice hath at hem disdeynyd.
Than yiff thei neuer to worshepe hadde atteynyd;
But ther fallyng was the more greuous 6124
Because thei wern toforn so glorious.
O thou Pouert, meek, humble and debonaire,
Which that kepest the lawes off Nature,
For sodeyn chaunges thou wilt nat disespaire, 6128
So art thou frauwchised fro Fortunys lure;
AUe hir assautis thou lowli doost endure,
That she may haue no iurediccioun
To interupte thi possessioun. 6132
Thou settist litil bi al worldli richesse,
Nor be his tresours which be transitorie;
Thou scomest hem that ther sheltrouns dresse
Toward batailles for conquest and victorie; 6136
Thou despisist al shynyng off veynglorie,
Laude off tryuwphes which conquerours ha[ue] souht.
With all ther pillages, thou settist hem at nouht.
Thou dispreisist al superfluite; 6140
Non infortunye may chaunge thi corage:
And the shippis that saile bi the se
With marchaundise among the floodis rage,
Ther auentures and ther pereilous passage — 6144
L);^, bodi, good, al put in auenture
Onii for lucre, gret richesse to recure —
6114. mantell R — perle] perre H. 6118. ther] the R.
61 19. kyng] of R. 6122. hir] owi. R.
6125. to fore thei wer R. 6127. lawe H.
6128. dispaire R. 613 1. iurisdiccion R.
6134. Nor] Neithlr R. 6136. batalle R — and] or R.
6137. dispisith R — off] or R.
6138. tryuTwphe H — souht] wrouht H.
6140. dispreisist] despisest H.
6141. Non] nor noon H. 6144. 2nd ther] om. R.
The more im-
posing their
household and
the greater
their state, the
more unhappy
their fall.
It were better
had Priam and
Agamemnon
never been
kings.
Poverty is free
from the
assaults of
Fortuna.
He sets little
store by wealth
and scorns
conquest, vain
glory.
and all super-
fluity. He does
not risk his life
at sea for the
take of riches
174
The Praise of Poverty
[bk. I
His wealth is
patience.
or quarrel over QfF al such thyng thou talccst Htil hecdc, [p. 76]
rewards, which Nor ofF that pccplc that mancrcs do purchace, 6148
to leave for- NoF ofF pledcrcs, which for lucre & meede
^^"' Meyntene quarells & questis doon enbrace,
Thou hem beholdest with a ful stille face,
Ther sotil werkyng souht out for the nonys, 6152
And sodenli departe from al attonys.
Thou canst in litil also haue suffisauwce,
And art content with ful smal dispence;
For thi richesse and thyn habundaunce 6156
Withoute gruchchyng is humble pacience.
YifF any man do to the offence,
Thou foryetist and lihtli canst foryiue;
To the suffisith so [that] thou maist lyue. 6160
In summer the Xhc stctrid hcuene is thi couerture
starry sky and ^ 111
the green leaves In somet sesoun; vnder the leuys greene
e er, 'pj^^^ makcst thi duellyng & doost thiselfF assure
Ageyn gret heetis off the sunne sheene: 6164
Content with frutis & watir cristal cleene
To staunche thyn hunger & thi thrustis sore,
Afftir the sesouns, & carest for no more.
and in winter Pouert eek Hggith the colde wyntris nyht 6168
he lies on straw ._, . , . °° i • i i
without com- Wrappid m strauh, withoute compleynynge;
Withoute dreed he go[e]th glad and liht.
And tofor theuys he merili doth synge:
He* goth also withoute paryschyng* 6172
Fro lond to lond among[es] poore & riche;
For freend and fo to hym be bothe aliche.
Seneca says Motal Scnec Tccordeth be writyng,
Poverty is the Richest off thynges is Glad Pouerte, 6176
things, content Euet off o cheer[e], void off al gruchchyng,
Idver^sity"*^ '" Bothe in ioie and in aduersite:
Thoruh al the world[e] last hir liberte,
And hir fraunchise stant in so gret ese, 6180
That off hir fredam no man will hir displese.
plaining, and
sings merrily
before thieves;
for he can
journey from
land to land
without fear.
6148. Nor] Or R.
6149. Nor] Nelthir R — pletours R, pleters H.
6159. canst] dost H.
6161. thi] the H. 6166. thi] thyne R. 6168. eek] also R.
6172. He] She B, J, H, H 5, R 3, P — paryschyng] patisynge
B, patisyng J, H 5, patisshyng H, parisynge R 3, paryschyng
R.
6174. hym] her P — be both to hym H — I-lyche R.
6179. lastith R. 6180. hir] his H.
BK. l]
Zenocrates and Diogenes
175
She is nonce off studie & off doctryne,
In vertuous labour doth hir dilligence;
And off sciences, which that be dyuyne,
She is callid mooder be clerkis, in sentence.
Off philisophres most had in reuerence,
Fortune and she so ferr assonder varie,
That ech to other off custum is contrarie.
of study,
mother of
61S4
61S8
Hir hertili ioie is for to lyue in pes,
Hateth tumulte, noise and disturbaunce;
For hir disciple, calHd Zenocrates,
In wilful pouert set hooli his plesauwce, 6192
Sobre off his port, thoruh whose attemp[e]raunce
Ful many a man bexauwple off his techyng
Wer brouht to vertu fro vicious lyuyng.
His diete was so mesurable
And deuoid off superfluite.
That his corage he kepte ferme & stable,
Fro flesshli lustis he was so attempre:
Resoun maistred his sensualite,
Desirs onleefful for to sette a-side;
Duryng his liff Pouert was his guide.
His abidyng and conuersacioun
Was in placis that were solitarie; 6204
Mong trees & wellis he bilt hym a donioun,
With multitude he hated for to tarie:
For Pouerte was his secretarie,
Sobre off his cheer & stable off his entent, 6208
And in Ath^nes first to scoole he went.
He was so myhti off auctorite,
Rihtwisnesse & iustice to obserue,
That rihtful iuges his sentence took at gre: 6212
He coude his mouth & tunge so weel preserue.
That in the temple onys off Mynerue,
Withoutyn oth, onto his sentence.
To that he saide the iuges gaff credence. 6216
Poverty hates
noise and
tumult.
Zenocrates was
her disciple.
6106 Moderate in all
things, guided
only hf reason.
6200
he loved soli-
tary places and
buUt him a
retreat amidst
trees and flow-
ing water.
He was known
to be so up-
right, that
judges accepted
his word with-
out oath.
6182. 2nd ofTI om. R. 6184. that] om. H.
6185. is] om. R.
6190. disturbaunce] p<rrturbaunce H. 6194. aj om. R.
6199. so attempred was he H.
6200. Pat Resoun H — manstried R.
6206. hated] hate hym R.
6213. so] ful R.
6205. Amonge R.
6209. to scole first R.
176
Zenocrates and Diogenes
[bk. I
When king
Alexander
visited him,
Asked why he He axcd was among gret audience,
he answered' Whi he was solcyn ofF his daliaunce:
that silence xy < - .,
had never done flis answere was, that neuer tor silence
him harm. ThoFuh Htil spekyng he felte no greuauwce, 6220
Spech onavised causeth repentaunce;
And rakil tuwges, for lak off refreynyng,
To many a man hath be ful gret hyndryng.
Diogenes also Diogenes, trewe heir and next allied 6224
was a true T" Mr i i • i •
heir of Poverty. 1 o wiliul pouert be lust enhentaunce, —
littie'tun whkh For al richesse he pleynli hath diffied,
alafnsTthe^^""^!^ was to hym so gret[e] encuwbraunce
sun's rays. With worldH ttcsour to haue* alliaunce. 6228
His duellyng made withynne a Htil tunwe,
Which turned a-boute with concours off the sunne,
HymselfF refresshyng with hete off Phebus
bemys; ^ [p-??]
For he was content, God wot, with ful lite. 6232
Kyng Alisauwdre, that conquered rewmys,
Cam ridyng doun, & gan hymselfF delite
This philisophre to seen and visite,
HymselfF sequestred sool from al the pres, 6236
And cam alone to seen Diogenes.
ProfFred to* hym gret richesse & tresour,
Bad hym aske what thyng that he wolde,
That myhte hym plese or doon to hym socour; 6240
But ofF al that, he nothyng ne tolde.
But praied hym ful lowli, that he sholde
Nat drawe from hym ^at thyng, ageyn al riht,
Which for to yiue lay nat in his myht. 6244
" What thyng is that ?" quod Alisaundre ageyn,
" I ha[ue] be conquest al ertheli tresour wonne."
The philisophre seide he spak in veyn,
"Thou hast," quod he, "no lordshep ofF the sonwe. 6248
Thi shadwe lettith his bemys fro my tonne;
and offered
him great
treasure, he
said, "pray
don't take
from me that
which you
cannot give.
"You have no
lordship over
the sun, and
your shadow
keeps his rays
from me."
6224. next3 om. R.
6227. To him it was J, P, H 5 — an encombraunce R.
6228. hauel hauen B.
6231. hetej the heete H — hete off Phebus bemys3 wtti> the
sunne beemys R.
6235. to visite R. 6236. sequestred] requestrid R.
6238. to] vnto B, R, J, P, H 5. 6241. ne] no R.
6242. sholde] wolde H.
6248. off] on R. 6249. lettist R.
BK. l]
Diogenes and Alexander
177
And sithe thou hast no power off his Hht,
I pray the freendli, forbarre me nat his siht."
Thouh Alisaundre was myhti off puissaunce, 6252
And al the world[e] hadde in his demeyne,
Yit was his resoun vnder thobeisaunce
OiFflesshli lustis fetrid in a cheyne;
For in his persone will was souereyne, 6256
His resoun bridled be sensualite,
Troublyng the fredam ofF riht & equite.
For where that will hath dominacioun
In a prynce, which sholde sustene riht, 6260
And parcial fauour oppressith his resoun,
And trouthes title is bor doun with myht.
And egall doom hath lost his cleer[e] lyht:
Thouh for a sesoun thei sitte in hih[e] chaieres, 6264
Ther fame shal fade withynne a fewe yeres.
In this mater mak a comparisoun
Twen Alisaundre and Diogenes:
The ton endured but a short sesoun, 6268
For that he loued werre more than pes;
And for the tother was nat rech[e]les,
But heeld hym content with gifFtis off Nature,
Onto gret age his pouert dede endure. 6272
Alisaundre was slay[e]n with poisoun.
In his triumphes whan he dede excell;
But in a tonne that lay ful lowe doun
Diogenes drank watir off the well. 6276
And off ther eende the difference to tell,
Alisaundre with couetise was blent;
The philisophre with litil was content.
Blessid be pouert, that may endure longe, 6280
Maugre the fraude & daunger off Fortune,
Where-as kynges & emperour[e]s stronge
In ther estat no while may contune.
And off all vertues rekned in comune, 6284
Tween indigence and gret habundaunce.
Is a good mene content with suffisaunce.
Although
Alexander was
mighty, his
reason was
fettered by
sensuality.
and where will
has domina-
tion over truth,
fame shall
fade.
Alexander
lasted but a
short teasoQ
and died by
poison.
Diogenes lived
to old age in
his tun.
Blessed be
poverty, a
mean between
indigence and
great wealth.
6250. his] the R.
6251. his] my R. 6258. Troublede R.
6264. charis R.
6267. Bitwene R. 6272. a gret R.
6285. Bitwene R — gret] om. R.
178
There is no Assurance in Riches
[bk. I
There is no For with grct plente men be nat assurid,
riches; lords do AfFtiF thcF lust alway to lyue in ese; 6288
not have every- a i i i i i • i
thing to please And thouh that men gret tresour nan recurid,
t em- With ther richesse thei feele many disese:
Lordis ha[ue] nat all thynge that may hem plese;
But hertili ioie, philisophres expresse, 6292
Is grettest tresour tween pouert & richesse.
Diogenes lived For this chapitle sheweth a figure,
longer than . i-i i i •
Priam, A maner liknesse and demonstraciouw,
How Diogenes lengere dede endure
Than myhti Priam or kyng Lamedoun:
Texemplefie, in conclusiou^i,
Ther is mor trust in vertuous symplesse,
Than in presumyng olF vicious fals richesse.
and Paris' and For thauouttic ofF Paris and Heleyne
Helen 8 mis-
conduct
brought all
Troy to
destruction.
Brouhte al Troye to destruccioun;
Pride & luxure were also menys tweyne
Whi Grekis leide a siege to the touw,
And fynal cause off ther confusioun,
To outher parti losse off many a man,
The ground conceyued whi first the werre gan.
6296
6300
6304
Priam fell
from riches to
poverty, from
kingly honour
to wretched-
ness.
Hector was
(lain,
^ Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie pitous & lamentable
And dolerous to writen & expresse,
That worthi Priaw, of kynges most notable,
Was falle in pouert from* his gret richesse,
Fro kyngli honour into wrechidnesse.
Fro sceptre & crowne, & from his regalie
To myschiefF brouht thoruh fals auoutrie.
Was nat Fortune froward and deceyuable
For to sufFre bi her doubilnesse.
And bi hir cours, which euer is variable,
That worthi Ector, flour off hih prowesse,
Sholde onwarli, most famous off noblesse.
Be slayn alias, cheeff stok off cheualrie, 6320
For a quarell off fals auoutrie ?
6288. ther lust] lust of hem R.
6292. doth expresse R. 6293. bi twene R.
6301. thauoutrie] the Auarice R. 6304. to] to fore R.
6306. a] om. R. 6307. began R. 6309. &] or R.
63 1 1, from] for B, for al H, J, H 5.
6312. kyngli] knyhtly R. 6316. sufFre] suffre hir R.
6308
6312
[p. 78]
6316
BK. l]
The Story of Samson
179
Agamenoun coumptid incomparable
Among Grekis for trouthe & rihtwisnesse.
To goueme most glorious and hable, — 6324
Withynwe his paleis, the story berth witnesse,
His wifF Clymestra thoruh hir cursidnesse
Assentid was to moordre hym off en vie,
For thoccasioun off fals auoutrie. 6328
Ye noble pryncis, conceyueth how chaungable
Is worldli honour thoruh onstedfastnesse!
Seeth off kyng Pryam the glori was onstable;
Fix in your mynde this mateer doth inpresse, 6332
And your corages knyhtH doth vp dresse,
Ageyn all titles holdeth chaumpartie
Which appertene to fals auoutrie.
Agamemnon
murdered, and
all through
adulter)'-
Princes, resist
all things that
appertain to
adultery.
[Off mighty Sampson whiche tolde his counsaile
to Dalida wherby he was deceived^ ^
w
HO was mor myhti or strong than Samp-
son
Non mor delyuer, ^t Bible berth witnesse:
Withoute wepne he slouh a fers leoun.
And for his enmyes to hym dede expresse
His vnkouth problem, anon he gan hym dresse
Geyn Philistes, and slouh off hem thretti.
To paie his promys spoiled hem bi and bi.
His problem was, the text thus rehersyng,
Afftir the lettir in veray sothfastnesse:
" Ther cam out mete off a thyng etyng,
And fro the stronge ther wente out suetnesse."
But his wiff, off froward doubilnesse,
Which euer wrouhte to his disauail,
Off worthi Sampson tolde the counsail:
" W^hat is mor strong than is a leoun,
Or mor soote than hony in tastyng?" —
But women haue* this condicioun,
Off secre thynges whan thei haue knowlechj-ng,
Thei bollyn inward, ther hertis ay fretyng:
Outher thei musten deien or discure.
So brotil is off custum ther nature.
6336
6340
6344
6348
6352
63,-6
6322. counted R. 6337. Non] Nor H — Bible] ston- H.
6341. Ayens R. 6352. haue] han B, R.
6354. boyllyng inwardis R.
^MS. J. leaf 33 recto.
Samson un-
armed slew a
lion and mads
a riddle on his
exploit:
"Out of the
eater came
meat, sweet-
ness out of the
strong."
But his wife
disclosed the
answer,
(women must
die if they
cannot tell
secrets).
It was, that
bees made
honey in the
head of the
dead lion.
Samson's wife
wheedled it out
of him,
and then told
the Philistines.
A plague on
weeping wives
who cannot
hold their
tongues!
1 80 Samson and his Riddle [bk. i
This was the cas: the leouw that was ded,
Ageyn the sonne gapyng lay vpriht;
A swarm off been entred in his hed,
Off whom ther cam hony anon riht. 6360
And whan Sampson therofF hadde a siht,
He fantasied in his opynyouw
Ful secreH this proposiciouw,
As ye han herd, and gan it foorth purpose, 6364
That PhiHstes to hym it sholde expowne,
Vnder a peyne the trouthe to hym onclose.
But with his wifFthei preueH gan rowne;
And she on Sampson gan compleyne & frowne, 6368
And feynyngli so longe vpon hym weepe,
That he nat coude his couwsail from hir keepe.
Which whan she kneuh, she made no tarieng.
But pleyn and hool she gan it to declare. 6372
Such double trust is in ther wepyng;
To keepe ther tunges womwen ca« nat spare.
Such wepyng wyues, euel mut thei fare!
And all husbondis, I pray God yiue hem sorwe, 6376
That to hem tell ther couwseil eue or morwe.
yo^J." said'°''^ She told hem hool, she tolde it hem nat halff;
^u'"'°i"c ^'" And Sampson thanne gan vpon hem smyle,
though Samson ,,,,.„ *^ i ii i i • • irr
was very Yiit ye nat hadde herd it m my calit, 6380
rather' afraid of Ye sholdc nat a fouwde it a gret while."
\YhQ jyjay be seur, wher women list begile! —
Thouh bookis Sampson off strengthe so comende,
Yit durste he nat ageyn his wifF offende. 6384
This myhti Sampson dede also his peyne,
Thre hundred foxis onys that he fond.
He took her tailes, knet hem tweyne & tweyne,
And amyd euerich he sette a feer-brond; 6388
And as thei ran in Philistes lond,
So furiousli vp and doun thei wente,
That thei her frutis & ther vynes brente.
He killed a Eek be tresoun whan he was onys bouwde 6392
thousand men __.. , t i i i i
with the jaw- With newe cordis as he lay and sleep,
bone of an ass, nni ii ii'iio rj
1 her caw thr^ thousand, which that Sampson tounde,
He tied the
tails of foxes
to firebrands,
and set them
running in the
Philistines'
vineyards.
6363. secreli] sikirly R. 6368. on] in R.
6377. eue] euen R, even H — or] & H.
6380. ye] she R — it] om. R, H, P.
6389. ran] ronne H. 6391. frute H. 6392.
Eek] Also R.
BK,
I]
Samson and Delilah
i8i
6396
[p- 79]
6400
6404
6408
Tamoordred hym, or that he took keep:
He brak his bondis, and vp anon he leep,
Off an asse [he] cauhte a chaule-bon,
And a thousand he slouh off hem anon.
He gan to feynte & hadde a sodeyn lust
For to drynke, fadid face and cheer;
And God sente hym to staunche with his thrust
From thassis toth watir cristal cleer,
Which that sprang out large as a ryuer,
Refresshid his sperit, which afforn gan dull,
Til that he hadde off watir drunke his full.
Afftir he wente to Gazam the cite,
Mong all his enmyes, that were off gret myht,
To his plesauwce where he dede see
A ful fair woman, lay with hire al nyht,
And on the morvi^e, longe or it was lyht,
Maugre the wach, vpon his shuldres squar
The gatis stronge vp to an hill he bar. 6412
And in a vale* which callid was Soret
Ful hoote he loued Dalida the faire,
On whom his herte was ful sore set,
She koude hir feyne so meek & debonaire, 6416
Make hym such cheer whan that hym list repaire.
But I dar calle hir Dalida the double,
Cheeff roote & cause off al his mortal trouble.
He neuer drank wynes whiht nor red, 6420
Off Nazarees such is the goueraunce;
Rasour nor sheer touchid neuer his hed.
For in long growyng stondeth ther plesaunce.
And this Sampson, most myhti off substauTice, 6424
Hadde al his force be influence off heuene,
B[y] heris wexyng, that were in nouwbre seuene.
It was ful secre in euery manys siht,
Among peeple told for an vnkouth thyng, 6428
Wheroff Sampson hadde so gret myht.
Outward shewed bi force off his werkyng.
But Dalida with hir flateryng
6395. ToamoordreR. 6399. began R. 6403. that] om. R.
6405. Gazon R. 6407. Amonge R. 6408. that he R.
6409. ful] OOT. H. 6410. or] er H. 6411. wach] wachis R.
6412. vp to] vpon H. 6413. vale]vaIeiB — was]isR.
6415. On] In R. 6421. such] which R.
6424. substaunce] puyssaunce H. 6427. ful] om. R.
6430. werkyng] wrytyng R.
from which he
afterwards
drank dear
water.
And he went
to Gaza, where
he visited a
harlot and
carried oflf the
town gates.
Ddikh lived ]
the vale of
Sorek.
Samson never
drank wine or
cut his hair.
But Delilah
found out the
secret of his
strength.
l82
Samson and Delilah
[bk. I
Although fair
of face, she
was like a
snake hiding
under flowers.
He was honest
and faithful;
she was other-
wise, and wore
many colours,
and shaved off
his hair.
Nothing is
worse than a
secret enemy,
especially if it
be one's own
wife.
The Philistines
put out Sam-
son's eyes and
compelled him
to grind their
corn.
Wolde neuer stynte, enqueryng euer among, 6432
Til that she kneuh wherbi he was so strong.
She lich a serpent daryng vnder flour-fs,
Or Ilk a werm that wrotith on a tre,
Or Hch an addere off manyfold colourifs, 6436
Riht fressh apperyng and fair vpon to see:
For shrowdid was hir mutabilite
With lowHheed[e] and a fair pretense
OfF trewe menyng vnder fals apparence. 6440
He mente trouthe, & she was variable,
He was feithful, and she was ontrewe,
He was stedfast, and she was onstable,
His trust ay oon; she loued thynges newe: 6444
She wered colour^s off many dyuers hewe,
In stede off bleu, which stedfast is and cleene;
She loued chaunges off many dyuers greene.
But to the purpos for to condescende, 6448
Whan she off Sampson kneuh al the preuite,
Hir falsheed shortli for to comprehende.
She made hym slepe ful sofftli on hir kne;
And a sharp rasour afftir that took she, 6452
Shoof off his her, large and off gret lengthe,
Wherbi, alias, he loste al his strengthe.
Damage is erthe is non so greuous,
As an enmy which that is secre, 6456
Nor pestilence non so pereilous
As falsnesse where he is preue.
And speciali in femynyte;
For yiff wyues be fouwden variable, 6460
Wher shal husbondis fynden other stable ?
Thus Sampson was be Dalida deceyued.
She coude so weel flatre, forge and feyne, —
Which Philistes, whan thei ha[ue] conceyued, 6464
Onwarli bond hym in a myhti cheyne,
Cast hym in prisoun, put out his eyen tweyne.
And off despiht, afftir, as I fynde.
At ther queernys maad hym for to grynde. 6468
6436. eddre R.
6438. shrowdid] froward R.
6454. his] his gret R. 6457. Nor] Ne R. 6458. he] it R.
6464. whan] whan t)at H.
6467. off despiht afftir] aftir of despite wryten R.
6468. ther] the R — maad] thei made R.
BK. l]
Samson's Death. The Envoy
183
Thei made a feste statli and solempne,
Whan the! hadde al this tresoun wrouht;
And to rebuke hym, scome hym & condempne,
Blynde Sampson was afom hem brouht: 6472
Which thyng ful sore greued hym in his thouht,
Caste he wolde in his preue mynde
Tauenge his blyndnesse sum maner weie fynde.
And whan he hadde thus bethouht hym longe, 6476
He made a child hym preueH to leede
To tweyne postis, large, squar and stronge,
Enbraced hem, or any man took heede,
And gan to shake hem, withoute feer or dreede, 6480
So sturdili among his fomen all.
That the temple is vpon hem fall.
Thus he was auengid on his foon, [p, 80]
WTiich that falsli dede ageyn hym stryue, 6484
Slouh in his deieng, God wot, many on
Mo than he dede euer afForn his lyue.
And he was also, the date to descryue,
In Israel, the Bible is myn auctour, 6488
Twenti yeer ther iuge and gouernour.
[Lenvoy.3
THIS tragedie yeueth in euidence
To whom men shal ther counseil out discure;
For rakell tunges, for lak off prouidence, 6492
Ha[ue] do gret harm to many a creature:
Whan harm is doon, ful hard is to recure.
Beth war be Sampson, your counsail weel to keepe,
Thouh Dalida compleyne, crie and weepe. 6496
Whilom Sampson, for manhod & prudence,
Hadde Israel in gouemaunce and cure.
Daunted leouns thoruh his magnyficence.
Made on a thousand a disconfiture; 6500
But his moste pereilous auenture.
Was whan he lay with Dalida to slepe,
Which falsli coude compleyne, crie and weepe.
Ye noble Pryncis, conceyueth the sentence 6504
Off this story, remembrid in scripture,
How that Sampson off wilful necligence
6476. Whan] om. H. 6477. to] om. R. 6480. bi gan R.
6485. ful many R. 64S6. euer he did R.
6490. in] an R. 6497. Whilom] Sumtyme R,
Afterwards
they made
mock of
him at a
festival in
their temple,
but he upset
the pillars anJ
brought the
temple down
on their heads.
Thus dying he
dew more men
than he ever
did before in
his life.
This tragedy
shews that men
ought not to
teli their
secrets.
Beware of
DeliJahj.
Princes, keep
your secrets;
let Delilah
complain and
weep if she
184 Bochas and the Malice of Women [bk. i
Was shaue & shorn, difFacId his figure;
Keep your conceitis vnder couerture, 6508
SufFre no nyhtwerm withynne your couwsail kreepe,
Thouh DaHda compleyne, crie and weepe!
A chapitle of Bochas discrjmyng l)e malis of wom-
men.^
My author T\ /f YN auctowf Bochflj" reioishcd in his lyue,
Bochas was ' * ' ■ "^ '
M
pleased to de- JL tX (I dar nat seyn, wher it was comewdable) 6512
maiile V Off these women the malice to descryue
donTkiTow ^ Generali, and writ — it is no fable —
rommendlbr' Off ther natute how thei be variable,
ofhimornot. And how thct malice best bc cuidence 6516
Is knowe to hem that haue experience.
He said that Thei Can afForce hem, alday men may see,
try to keep Be synguler fredam and dominacioun
don and'"erk" Ouer men to ha[ue]n souereynte, 6520
IrtThafnaLre And kcepc hem lowe vnder subiecciouw.
thenf''"'*"^ Ful* sore laboure in ther opynyouw,
Bi sotil crafFt that thyng to recure,
Which is to hem denyed off Nature. 6524
They massage Bochas afFcrmeth, & halt it for no tale,
wrinkled faces YifF thci wante frcsshncssc off colour,
And han ther face iawne, swart & pale.
Anon thei doon ther dilligent labour 6528
In such a neede to helpe and do socour,
Ther reuelid skyn abrod to drawe & streyne,
Froward frounces to make hem smothe & pleyne.
and apply oint- Yiff no tcdnesse in ther chekis be, 6532
ments to make -_ ,,. ,, ,, ii-
their cheeks look JN or no Iclics deiectabie and white,
there^il nodose. Than thei take, tencrece ther beute.
Such oynementis as may most delite;
Wher Kynde faileth the surplusage tacquite, 6536
Thei can be crafFt so for hemsilfF dispose,
Shewe rednesse thouh ther be no rose.
They use hot And for to shcwc ther face cleer and briht,
spices and roots.... , . . .
to clear their With hootc spices and oyuementis soote 6540
complexions, and>T^i • i rr^ ^' c ^ "l ^
if their bosoms 1 hei Can be craitt cou7mrtete a-nht,
are too flat or
too full,
6510. Thouh that R. 6516. best] kest R.
6522. Ful]AndB,J, Hs. 6527. face] faces R, H, P, R 3.
6529. do] to R. 6533. delytable R.
• vommen B — Same heading in J, leaf 34 b.
BK. l]
Bocbas on the Malice of Women
i8s
Take in such cas many an holsum roote:
Wher Kynde faileth, cunnyng can do boote, —
YifF ther brestis vp to hie hem dresse, 6544
Thei can ful weel thenbosyng doun represse.
And yifF thei been to sofFte or to tendre,
Thei ha[ue] cunnyng to make hem hard & rouwde.
Ther corsifnesse thei can eek make sclendre 6548
With poynant sausis that been in phesik founde;
Ther sotil wittis in sleihtis so habounde,
Thyng that is courbid or wrong in mennys siht
To make it seeme as it wente vpriht. 6552
Thei han strictories to make ther skyn to shyne,
Wrouht subtili off gommes & off glaire;
Craffti lies to die ther her citryne,
Distillid watres, to make hem seeme faire, 6556
Fumygaciouns to rectefie the aiere,
Stomachers and fressh confecciouns
To represse fals exallaciouws.
Off alle these thynges Bochas hath most
despiht, [p. 81] 6560
Whan these vekkes, ferre Ironne in age,
Withynne hemsilff han veynglori and dehht
For to farce and poppe ther visage,
Lich a[s] peyntour[s] on an old ymage 6564
Leyn ther* colours, riche and fressh off hewe,
Wermfrete stokkes to make hem seeme newe.
Ther slak[ke] skyn be craft abrod is streynyd,
Lik an orenge fro the galei brouht; 6568
Riche relikes aboute ther neckkis* cheynyd,
Gold vpon gold, with perle & stonys wrouht.
And that ther colour outward appeire nouht
With wynd or sonne, which sholde hew steyne or
fade, 6572
For onkjmde heetis thei vse citrynade.
6543. can] may R. 6546. And] am. R — been] om. R.
6548. corsiousnesse R — eek] also R.
6549. punyaunt sawis R.
6550,51 are transposed in R. 6553. 2nd to] om. R.
6555. die]dihtR. 6556. watir R.
6564. as peyntours] a peyntour R, J, H 5.
6565. Leyn ther] Leith his B, R, J, H 5, They lein P, Thei
lay R3.
6569. nekkis] necke is B, nekke is J, H5, necke is P.
6570. perlys R. 6571. appeire] appereth R.
they fashion
them to their
liking. They
reduce their
flesh by
swallowing
strong drugs,
and whatever
is crooked
they cause to
appear
straight.
They use glair
to make their
skin shine,
alkalies to
bleach their
hair, fumiga-
tions for dis-
agreeable
exhalations.
Bochas is most
scornful when
these old vecks
paint and pop
their faces, like
craftsmen lay-
ing colours on
worm eaten
wood.
They stretch
their loose skin
till itresemblei
an orange,
hang their
necks with
gold and gems,
use citrinade
when their
faces are
flushed.
1 86 Bochas on the Malice of Women [bk. i
t"tting new^""' What sholdc I wHtc al ther vnkouth desires,
devices to Sumtvme frovvard, suwtyme debonaire;
make them- -' - .
selves look like Ymagynyng sundry iressh attires, 6576
Contreued ofF newe many thousand paire;
Dyuers deuyses to make hem seeme faire
In ther apport, be couwtirfet liknesse
For to rassemble Venus the goddesse. 6580
hlV^a^new OfF On deuys thei holde hem nat appaied,
gown every day, Xhei mut cch day han a strauwge weede;
and their hearts , -' . •
bleed if one is Yiff any bc than othir bet* arraied,
than another. Off froward gruchchywg thei feele ther herte
Each considers i i j , „
herself fairest blcedc: 6584
her'mir?oi-" '" For cuerich thynkith veraiH in deede,
Amorwe prieng withynwe a merour briht,
For to be fairest in hir owen siht.
make eyes"at Thei cau ther cyeu and ther lookis dresse 6588
men or pretend f o drawc folk be slcihtis to ther lure;
always get And sumwhile bi ther frowardnesse
what they want. . i r 11 1 • m
And reyned dauTzger, thei can orr men recure
What-euer thei Hst, such is ther auenture. 6592
Ageyn whos sleihtis force nor prudence
May nat auaile to make resistence.
Jnd'feigne?m- With constrcynt wepyng & forgid flaterie,
ness bring many gubtil spech[e] farcid with plesaunce, 6596
snare. And many fals dissemeHd maladie —
Thouh in ther hertis thei feele no greuauwce —
And with ther couert sobre daliaunce,
Thouh vndirnethe the double serpent dare, 6600
Ful many a man thei ha[ue] brouht in ther snare.
Kn oTmSr-' O suet[e]nesse ful off mortalitel
taiity, their Serpcntync with a plesaunt visage I
privilege islto ^ ^ , / . • r , rr 1 •
daunt and op- Unstable loie tui ott aduersite; 6604
Key cloose^" O most chauwgable off herte & off corage!
In thi desirs hauyng this auauntage,
What-euer thou list to dauwten and oppresse, —
Such is thi fraunchise, Bochas berth witnesse. 6608
6577. many a R. 6580. to Venus R.
6583. bet than othir B, R, J.
6589. folkis R.
6590. sumtyme R. 6593. nor^ ne R.
6594. to] forto R. 6597. many a R.
BK. l]
Bochas on the Malice of Women
187
Off nature thel can in many wise
Off myhti geauntis the power weel aslake:
What wit off man can compass* or deuise,
Ther sleihti wilis dar it vndertake, 6612
And, yiff hem list, theroff an eende make.
Fro this conceit, who-so that discorde,
A thousand stories the reuers can recorde.*
Remembre first, how Hercules most strong 6616
Was brouht be women to his destruccioun;
The queen Clymestra dede also gret wrong
To moordre hir lord kyng Agamenoun.
Dalida betraished also Sampsoun; 6620
Amphiorax sane doun deepe into hell.
Because his wiff his couwsail dede out tell.
It nedith nat to make mencioun,
Thouh Phillis deide thoruh inpacience 6624
Off longe abidjmg off hir Demephoun,
Nor how that Nisus, kyng off Magarence,
Was bi his douhtres cursid violence
Onwarli moordred, in Ouide it is told, 6628
Whan from his hed she stal the her off gold.
Bochas rehersith off wyues many on.
Which in ther werkyng wer ful contrarious;
But among all, he writith ther was on.
Queen off Assirie and wiff to kyng Nynus,
And be discent doubter to Neptunus,
Semiramis callid in hir daies.
Which off all men wolde make assaies. 6636
She nouther spared straunger nor kynreede;
Hir owne sone was nat set a-side.
But with hym hadde knowlechyng in deede.
Off which the sclaundre wente abrod ful wide. 6640
For with on man she koude nat a-bide.
Such a fals lust was vpon hir fall.
In hir corage to haue a-do with all.
To all that
the wit of man
can devise they
are ready to
apply their
wiles.
Remember
how Hercules,
Agamemnon,
Samson, and
many more
men were
brought to
destruction
by women.
Nor is the
scale turned
by Phyllis'*
constancy;
think of
Scylla, who
murdered
her father.
and_
Semiramis,
Ninns's
scaadaloas
6632 wife.
who had to do
with all men,
even with her
own 100.
6610. the] ther R. 661 1. compassen B.
6613. an ende ther of make R. 6615. recorded accorde B, J.
66i6. first] om. R. 6618. Chymestra R.
6621. deepe] om H — depe doun to R. 6624. Impacience H.
6625, Off] For R. 6626. Nor] Nethir R — Margarence R.
6630. rehersith] writith H. 6636. make] take R.
6637. nor] no R. 6641. koude] myht H.
4642. vpon] on R.
I!
Lydgate reproves Bochas
But it wearies And treufelll it doth my witt appall
me to rehearse y-^f^. , . i i -i
the«e things. (JiT this matcer to make rehersaile;
[bk. I
[p. 82] 6644
It is not right
to condemn all
women because
one or two
were at fault.
It is no resoun tatwiten women all,
Thouh on or too whilom dede faile.
It sittith nat, nor it may nat auaile, 6648
Hem to rebuke that parfit been & goode,
Ferr out off ioynt thouh sum other stoode.
The riche rube nor the saphir ynde
Be nat appeired off ther fressh beute, 6652
Thouh among stony s men couwtirfetis fynde;
And semblabli, thouh sumwe women be
Nat weel gouerned afftir ther degre,
It nat difFaceth nor doth no violence 6656
To hem that neuer dede in ther liff offence.
The white lelie nor the holsum rose,
Nor violettis spred on bankis thikke,
Ther suet[e]nesse, which outward thei onclose, 6660
Is nat appeired with no weedis wikke;
And thouh that breris, and many crokid stykke
Growe in gardyns among the floures faire,
Thei may the vertu off herbis nat appaire. 6664
And I dar seyn, that women vertuous
Been in the[r] vertu off price mor comendable,
That ther be sumwe reknyd vicious,
And off ther lyuyng fouwde also onstable. 6668
Goode women auhte nat be partable
Off ther trespas nor ther wikked deede,
But mor comendid for ther womanheede.
What was What is appeired off Hester the meeknesse, 6672
orcfytemnLtVa Thouh that Scilla was sturdi & vengable?
to Aiceste? ^^^ ^^ Alccste the parfit stedfastnesse
Is nat eclipsed, but mor acceptable,
Thouh Clymestra was founde variable; — 6676
Lik as whan cloudis ther blaknesse doun declyne,
Phebus mor cleer doth with his bemys shyne.
6646. tatwiten] to edwiten R — women] om. R.
6653. among] ageyn H.
6660. ou ward thei] thei vnward R, thei outward H.
6661. Is] It is R. 6662. many a R.
6666. Been] Seen R.
6670. nor] ne of R. 6674. Alciste R.
6676. Thouh] Thowh that R — Clytemestra H, Chtemnestra
P.
6678. wi't^ his beemys doth R.
Rubies and
sapphires are
not the less
beautiful be-
cause there are
counterfeits,
nor are lilies
and roses the
less sweet
though briars
and crooked '
sticks grow
among them.
We should
prize virtuous
women the
more because
there are also
vicious ones.
BK. i] Good Women mustn't mind what Bochas says 189
Ful many on ha[ue] cleene been al ther lyue,
Ondefouled kept ther virgynyte;
And summe coude ageyn alle vices stryue
Hem to conserue In parfit chastite,
Deuoid ofFchaung and mutabilite:
Thouh sum other ha[ue] therageyn trespacid.
The laude off hem is therwith nat diffacid.
And who that euer oflF malice list accuse
These celi women touchyng variaunce,
Lat hem remembre, and in ther wittis muse,
Men be nat ay stable in ther constaunce.
In this world heer is no perseueraunce;
Chaung is ay founde in men & women bothe,
On outher parti, be thei neuer so wrothe.
No man sholde the vertuous atwite
In stede off hym that dede the trespace;
Nor for a theeff a trewe man endite.
Nor for the gilti an innocent manace.
Goode and wikked abide in eueri place;
Ther price, ther lak, lat hem be reseruyd
To outher parti as thei han disseruyd.
Thouh John Bochas in his opynyoun
Ageyn[es] women list a processe make,
Thei that be goode off condicioun
Sholde ageyn hym no maner quarel take.
But lihtli passe, and ther sleuys shake;
For ageyn goode myn auctour* nothyng made,
Who can conceyue theffect off this balade.
Many hare
lived all tbeir
lives in
chastity: what
if others have
trespassed?
6680
6684
And let the
accusers of
these poor
women
6680 remember
that men
are no better.
6692
66q6
One does not
indict an
honest man
for a thief.
6yoo ^""^ although
John Bochas
abused bad
women, those
who are good
may shake
their sleeves
and pass
lightly on.
6704
67C38
^ Thexcus of Bochas for his vriting agejm mys-
govem[ed] vommen in stede of lenvoye.^
YE women all, that shal beholde & see
This chapitle and the processe reede, —
Ye that be goode founde in your degre,
And vertuous bothe in thouht and deede,
What Bochas sei[e]th, tak[e] ye noon heede;
6679. cleene] clear H. 6683. and] & of R. 6688. ii\] om. R.
6691. in] on H. 6698. lat hem be] lete be R.
6705. myn auctour] he B, H, J, R, P, H 5.
6708. the] this R. 6709. founde] stonde R.
6710. bothe] beeth R — in dede R. 671 1. ye] ther of R.
* The same beading in J. " This bala'd declareth that no goode
woman ouhte off riht to take A quarell ayens lohn Bochas {jowh
he write a processe ayens hem ^at he mysgou/rned." MS. R.
leaf 41 recto.
Good women
should pay no
attention to
what Bochas
says. He
rebuked bad
ones only,
and so
190 Only bad Women are scolded (^bk. i
For his writyng, yifF it be discernyd, 6712
Is nat ageyn hem that be weel gouernyd.
thii chapter pOF thouh it fall that oon, or too, or three
doe« not con- tttii \ r r^ -i r ^ t
cern well-be- hia[uej doon amyssc, as therrore God forbeede
at all. That other women which stable & feithful be 6716
Sholde be atwited off ther ongoodliheede,
But mor comendid for ther womanheede:
For this scripture, yifF it be concernyd,
Is ageyn hem that be nat weel gouernyd. 6720
A galled jade A galHd hors, the* sooth yfFye list see, [p. 83]
touch, but good Who touchith hym, boweth his bak for dreede;
women have no • i i • i ...
need to be And who IS knowe ontrewe m his cuntre,
sensitive. Shrynkith his hornis whan men speke of falsheede. 6724
But goode women ha[ue] ful litil neede
To gruchch or frowne whan the trouthe is lernyd, "
T[h]ouh ther be sumwe which be nat weel gouernyd.
It is the bad QfF Dalida and queen Pasiphe, 6728
scolded. Thouh doubiluesse dede ther bridil leede,
Yit off Lucrece and Penolope
The noble fame abrood doth shyne and spreede:
Out off good corn men may sum darnel weede, 6732
Women rebuke, in ther difFautis wernyd,*
And nat touche hem that be weel gouernyd.
[Off mighti pirrus that slouh pollicene which for his
pride and auoutrye deied in pouerte/ slayn atte
last bi Horestes.3 ^
Among a com- TJ OCHAS musyng in his remembrauwce,
pany of weep- r\ . i • i i • i • r
ing princes, A-* And considrcd m his rantasie 6736
The onseur trust off worldli variaunce.
Off men & women the chauwg and the folic,
The same tyme he sauh a cuwpanye
6713. ayens R. 6716. which^ which Jjat R — feithfiill &
stable H.
6720. ayens R.
6721. the] this veray B — the sooth yff ye list see] this verrey
soth in deede H, })is is v^rray sothe in R.
6724. his] ow!. R. 6727. which]l)atH. 6728. and]&ofR.
6733. rebuke] rebukid H, rebuked R 3 — in] of H — diffautis]
defaute R — wernyd] quernyd B, J, quernyde R, wernyd Hi
6737. off] & R.
^MS. J. leaf 35 recto.
BK. l]
Pyrrbus, Son of Achilles
Off myhti pryncis, ful pitousli wepyng, 6740
To hym appeere ther fortune compleynyng.
Among other that put hemsilff in pres,
Off myhti Pirrus first he hadde a siht,
That was the sone off worthi Achilles, 6744
Among Grekis the moste famous knyht,
Most comendid off manhod & off myht,
Sone and next heir, [as] bookis specefie,
Off Pelleus kyng off Thesalie. 6748
This Achilles, ful manli off his herte,
Hurt off Ector, and his wounde greene,
Slouh Ector afftir or he dede aduerte.
The which Achilles, for loue off Polliceene, 6752
Bi compassyng off Eccuba the queene,
Vnder trete this Grekis champeoun
Was slayn off Paris withynne Troie tou«.
Whos deth tauenge Pirrus in his teene, 6756
Furiousli, with face ded and pale,
Slouh afftirward the said[e] Polliceene,
And djsmembrid al on pecis smale,
Which for to heere is a pitous tale, 6760
That a knyht so vengable was in deede
To slen a maide, quakyng in hir dreede.
He koude for ire on hir no merci haue;
But with his suerd, most furious & wood, 6764
Merciles vpon his fadres graue,
Lik a tirant he shadde hir chast[e] blood.
The deede horrible diffacid his knyhthod.
That to this day the sclaundre & the diffame 6768
Be newe report reboundeth on his name.
Poetis seyn, and speciali Guide
Writ, whan Grekis fro Troie sholde saile,
How ther shippis ban anker* dede ride, 67-2
Off ther purpos which longe made hem faile.
But in this while, he maketh rehersaile,
Out off therthe, manacyng off cheers,
Off Achilles an ymage dede appeere. 6776
6741. appeere] appered R. 6742. in] om. R.
6747. as] om. H. 6759. al] hir R.
6763. forire]ofn. R. 6767. The] l)at H.
6768. difFame] fame R.
6772. ban anker] bananker B, an hankre R, bi an anker J,
P, H s.
191
Pyrrhus, son
of Achilles,
appeared to
Bochas.
Achille* slew
Hector, and
Paris Achaies,
when he came
to Troy for
love of Pdyi-
ena, whom
Pyrrhus after-
wards dismem-
bered
on his father's
grave, a hor-
rible deed.
Poets say that
Achilles af>-
[>eared to the
Greeks before
they sailed
from Troy,
192 The Cruelty of Pyrrhus [j&vl. i
demanding Xo Grckis saldc with a dedli face,
that they make ,,_ ^ , , , „ 1 • *
a sacrifice of 1 teclc wecl myn honour & my glorie,
atone for his And my noblcssc ful lihtli foorth dooth pace,
mur er. Onkyndc peeple, out of your memorie, 6780
Which bi me hadde your conquest & victorie.
Your deuer doth Polliceene to take.
And on my graue a sacrefise to make.
How she died With hir blood looke ye spare nouht 6784
18 told m Ovid. _, -11 1
lo sprynge it round aboute my sepulture;
Thus blood for blood with vengauwce shal be bouht,
And for my deth, the deth she mut endure."
And hool the maner off this auenture, 6788
And how she deied in hir maydenheed,
Methamorphoseos, the processe ye may reed.
Pyrrhus was In hasti vengauwce set was al his ioie,
thirsty; he slew With thrust onstaunchid Troian blood to sheede; 6792
carried off He slouh PHam, the worthi kyng off Troie,
Andromache. ^^j j^^^ q^.^^^ ^j^j^ ^^^ ^^ j^j^ j^^j^
Andromecha* — the story ye may reede —
Wed did hir, and afFtir in certeyne 6796
Be hym she hadde worthi sonys tweyne.
He also became But in repairyug hom to his cuntre,
sook An'drom- As Eolus dede his shippis dryue,
Hermione, I fyudc he was a pirat off the se; 6800
And into Grece whan he dede aryue,
Fortune onwarli gan ageyn hym stryue:
Forsook his wifF, leet hir lyue alone,
Took a-nother callid Hermyone. 6804
Orestes' wife, Which was that tyme ioyned in mariage [p. 84]
by force. The „ „ rr A if tJ
reward of lo rlorcstes, soue oiT Agamenoun;
aiwayTsudden And hc, alas, off wilful louys rage,
fortu^ne°' ""*" Took hir be force to his possessiouw. 6808
But off auoutrie folwith this guerdouw,
Sodeyn deth, pouerte or shame.
Open disclaundr^, gret myscheeff or diffame.
6778, 80, 81. gloire, memoire, victoire B.
6779. dooth] do H.
6781. your conquest had H. 6787. she] ye R.
6795. Andromecha] Andromada B, J.
6799. Eolus] solus R. 6802. began R.
6809. auoutrie] Auentwre R — this] his R.
681 1, disclauwdr^] Sclaundre R.
BK. l]
Canace and Mac are us
Eek in his tyme this Pirrus, as I reede, 6812
Fill into myscheefF and gret pouerte;
And with such meyne as he dede leede,
He was a rouere, and robbed on the se.
. And as poetis reherse, ye may see, 6816
Off such robbyng be sclaundre &* diffame
This woord Pirat off Pirrus took the name.
And as the story afftir doth deuise,
The said Horestes gan secreli espie 6820
Wher that Pirrus dede sacrefise
Toforn Apollo, that god to magnefie.
Ful onwarli Horestes off enuie
Took a sharp suerd or Pirrus coude aduerte 6824
Wher that he stood, & roof hym thoruh the herte.
This was the fyn off Pirrus in substaunce,
For al his pride and gret presumpcioun.
Off fals auoutrie folwith this vengaunce: 6828
Losse off sum membre, pouert or prisoun.
Or hatful sclaundre bi sum occasioun.
Or sodeyn deth, shortli in sentence,
Compleet in Pirrus be ful cleer euidence. 6832
193
P>rrhni fdl
into poverty
before he died,
and the word
pirate is
derived from
bis name.
Finally he was
slain by
Orestes before
the altar of
ApoQa
That was his
deserved end;
for be was aa
adulterer.
[^Ofif Machaire and his suster Canace.J ^
AFFTIR this Pirrus cam Canace the faire.
With teres* distillyng from hir eyen tweyne,
And hir brother, that callid was Machaire;
And bothe thei gan ful pitousli compleyne, 6836
That Fortune gan at hem so disdeyne,
Hyndryng ther fate be woful auenture
Toiichyng ther loue, which was ageyn nature.
He was hir brother and hir loue also, 6840
As the story pleynli doth declare;
And in a bed thei lay eek bothe too,
Resoun was non whi thei sholde spare:
But loue that causith wo and eek weelfare, 6844
Gan ageyn kynde so straungeli deuise,
That he hir wombe made sodenli tarise.
6812. Eek] Also R. 6817. &] & be B, R.
6832. MS. R omits lines I. 6833 to II, 749. — Compleet]
Compleynt H.
6834. With teres] Teris B (Witi> ter« H, R 3, with teares P).
6836. fuQom. J.
^MS. J. leaf 35 verso.
After Pyrrhus,
Canace and her
brother Maca-
reus appeared
to Bochas com-
plaining pite-
oasly.
They loved one
another against
nature.
194 Canace and Macareus []bk. i
*nd she had a And fynali, myii auctour berth witnesse,
which eiceiied A child shc haddc bi hir owne brother, 6848
ID eau y. Which excelHd in fauour and fairnesse;
For lik to hym ofF beute was non other.
But off ther loue so guyed was the rother, •
That Karibdis, tween wyndis ful contraire, 6852
Hath Canace destroied and Machaire.
But when For whan ther fadir the maner dede espie
father, heard OfF ther werkyug, which was so horrible,
went mad* for For ire almost he fill* in frenesie, 6856
"»«■ Which for tappese was an inpossible;
For the mater was froward & odible:
For which, pleynli, deuoid off al pite,
Vpon ther trespas he wolde auenged be. 6860
and sought to The cause knowe, the fadir anon riht
kill them both. ^^ r i i i rr • • i
Macareus fled. Castc lOt ther deth oit rigour to prouide;
no'^means oi For which Machaire fledde out off his siht.
And from his face his presence gan to hide. 6864
But, o alas! his suster muste abide,
Merciles, for ther hatful trespace
Suffre deth; ther was non other grace.
escape, and First hir fader a sharp suerd to hir sente 6868
Eolus sent her _ , rr i ^ r i
a sharp sword In tokne ott deth tor a remembrauwce,
death.*" ° And whau she wiste pleynli what he mente
And conceyued his rigerous ordenaunce,
With hool purpos tobeien his plesauwce, 6872
She gruchchith nat, but lowli off entente
Lich a meek doubter to his desir assente.
Like a meek But or she died she caste for to write
daughter she a i- -i i i ■ i i i
agreed to die, A litil letttc to hir brother deere, 6876
a"Httie"iette°r^ to A dedU compleyut compleyne & endite
her brother. ^j^}^ p^|g f^^^ ^^^ ^ mortal chccrc,
The salt[e] teris from hir eyen cleere,
With pitous sobbyng, fet from hir hertis brynke, 6880
Distillyng douw to tempre with hir ynke.
The lettre of compleynt of Canace to hir brothir
Macharie.^
"You are the /^UT off hir swouhfe] wha« she dede abraide,[p.8d
cause of my ■ ■ "^^ ''^
o
sorrow, once V-/ Knowyng no meue but deth in hir distresse.
chief source of
my joy
To hir brother ful pitousli she saide: 6884
6852, 53. Con^rarye, Macharye H. 6856. he fill almost B
^ The same heading in MS. J. leaf 36 recto.
BK,
I]
Canace's Letter of Complaint
195
"Cause off my sorwe, roote off myn heuynesse.
That whilom were cheeff sours off my gladnesse,
Whan bothe our ioies be will were so disposid,
Vnder o keie our hertis to be enclosid.* 6888
Whilom thou were support and sekirnesse,
Cheeff reioisshyng off my worldli plesaunce;
But now thou art the ground off my siknesse,
Welle off wanhope, off my dedli penaunce, 6892
Which haue off sorwe grettest habundaunce
That euer yit hadde any creature,
Which mut for loue the deth alas endure!
"Alas, I mu»t
endure death
for lovel
6896
6900
6904
6908
Thou were whilom my blisse & al my trust,
Souereyn confort my sorwes to appese,
Spryng and well off al myn hertis lust;
And now, alas, cheeff roote off my disese.
But yiff my deth myht do the any ese,
O brother myn, in remembraunce off tweyne,
Deth shal to me be plesaunce & no peyne.
Mi cruel fader, most onmerciable,
Ordeyned hath, it needis mut be soo,
In his rigour he is so ontretable,
Al merciles he will that it be doo, —
That we algate shal deie bothe too.
But I am glad, sithe it may been noon other.
Thou art escapid, my best beloued brother.
This is myn eende, I may it nat asterte,
0 brother myn, there is no mor to seye,
Lowli besechyng with al myn hool[e] herte 6912
For to remembre speciali I preie,
Yiff it befall my litil sone deie,
That thou maist afftir sum mynde vpon us haue,
Suffre us bothe be buried in o graue. 6916
1 holde hym streihtli atwen myn armys tweyne.
Thou and Nature leide on me this charge;
He gilt[e]les with me mut suffre peyne.
And sithe thou art at fredam and at large, 6920
Lat kynd[e]nesse our loue nat so discharge,
But haue a mynde, where-euer that thou be,
Onys a day vpon my child and me.
" But if my
death be of
avail to you,
my brother, it
will be a
pleasure and
no pain.
"My cruel
father has or-
dained that
both of us
must die, and
I am glad you
escaped.
"And if my
little son also
die, I beg you
not to forget
us.
"Let us both
be buried in
one grave, and
wherever you
may be have a
mind on us
once a year.
6895.
enclosid] onclosid B.
alias \>t deth H, R 3.
6901. ofTJof us R 3.
196
Canace^s Letter of Complaint
[bk. I
"It is not just
that our young
child should
suffer;
he lies still as
a lamb, only a
heart of steel
could do him
injury.
"My father,
your revenge is
too cruel!
"Was there
ever creature
who felt more
dole than I?
"My father is
a mortal enemy,
who seeks our
destruction.
"Alas, my
brother, that
vengeance
should come
before mercy.
On the and me dependith the trespace 6924
Touchyng our gilte* and our gret offence;
But, wellaway, most angelik off face,
Our yonge child in his pur innocence
Shal ageyn riht sufFre dethis violence, 6928
Tendre off lymes, God wot, ful gilt[e]les,
The goodli faire that lith heere specheles.
A mouth he hath, but woordis hath he noone,
Cawnat compleyne, alas, for non outrage, 6932
Nor* gruchith nat, but lith heer al a-loone,
Stille as a lamb, most meek oiF his visage.
What herte off steel coude doon to hym damage.
Or sufFre hym deie, beholdyng the maneer 6936
And look benygne off his tweyne eyen cleer?
O thou, my fader, to cruel is thi wreche,
Hardere off herte than tigre* or leoun.
To slen a child that lith withoute speche, 6940
Void off al mercy and remissioun.
And on his mooder hast no compassiouw,
His youthe considred, with lippis softe as silk.
Which at my brest lith still & souketh mylk. 6944
Ys any sorwe remembrid be writyng.
Onto my sorweful sihhes comparable?*
Or was ther euer creature lyuyng
That felte off dool a thyng mor lamentable? 6948
For couwfortles and onrecuperable
Ar thilke hepid sorwes, ful off rage.
Which han with wo oppressid my corage.
Rekne all myscheuys in especiall, 6952
And on my myscheeff remembre &ha[ue] goodmynde:
Mi lord my fadir, is myn enmy mortall.
Experience inouh theroff I fynde;
For in his pursuit he hath lefft behynde, 6956
In destrucciouw off the, my child and me,
Routhe and al mercy and fadirli pite.
And the, my brother, auoidid from his siht,
Which in no wise his grace maist atteyne, 6960
Alas that rigour, vengaunce & cruel riht
6924.
6930.
6939-
6946.
6952.
6961.
me & the H. 6925. gilte] gile B, J, H.
that] which H,R 3. 6933. Nor] NarB.
tigre] any tigre B, H, J, R 3, H 5, P.
comparable] incomparable B, J, H 5.
my myschevis J. 6956. his] this H.
vengaunce Rigour H.
BK. i] Canace's Letter of Complaint 197
Sholde a-boue merci be lord &* souereyne!
But cruelte doth at me so disdeyne,
That thou, my brother, my child & also I 6964
Shal deie alas exiled* from al mercy.
Mi fader whilom, be many sundri signe, [p. 86] |[Our father
Was my socour, my supportacioun, nign and
rr> 1 1 -01 „ gracious to us,
10 the and me most gracieux & benygne, 6968 but now our
r\ 1JI* 1 J 1 ■ nameisjpotted
Uur worldli giadnesse, our consoiacioun. with slander.
But loue and Fortune ha[ue] turned up-so-doun To'^ISsh awfy.
Our grace, alas, our welfare & our fame.
Hard to recure, so sclaundrid is our name. 6972
Spot off diffamyng is hard to wasshe away,
Whan noise and rumowr abrod do folk manace;
To hyndre a man ther may be no delay:
For hatful fame fleeth ferr in ful short space. 6976
But off vs tweyne ther is non othir grace
Sauff onli deth, and afftir deth, alas,
Eternal sclaundre off vs; thus stant the cas.
Whom shal we blame, or whom shal we atwite 6980 "Whom shall
f^ ff . I . 1*1^ we blame but
Uur gret oirence, sithe we may it nat hide? the god Cupid,
For our excus reportis to respite
Mene is ther non, except the god Cupide.
And thouh that he wolde for vs prouide, 6984
In this mateer to been our cheeff refuge,
Poetis seyn he is blynd to been a iuge.
He is depeynt[e] lich a blynd archer, who i» blind
nr« t *i r "1 i* • 2nd knows not
lo marke anht lailyng discrecioun, 6988 where his
Holdyng no meseur, nouther ferr nor neer; arrows strike.
But lik Fortunys disposicioun,
Al upon happ, void off al resoun.
As a blynd archer with arwes sharp[e] grounde 6992
Off auenture yeueth many a mortal wouwde.
At the and me he wrongli dede marke, "He did wTong
Felli to hyndre our fatal auentures,
As ferr as Phebus shynyth in his arke, 6996
To make us refus to alle creatures,
Callid us tweyne onto the woful lures
Off diffame, which will departe neuere,
Be newe report the noise encresyng euere. 7000
6962. lorde &] ladl B, J, P, H 5, R 3.
6965. exiled alas B, J, H 5, P. 6968. gracious J, P, R 3, H 5.
6992. I grownde H. 6997. us] om. H.
to aim at us.
198
The Death of Canace
[bk. I
"Evil report
flies with swift
wings, and
good fame is
hindered by
envy. No
man complains
of his own
faults.
Odious fame with swifft wengis fleeth,
But al good fame en vie doth restreyne;
Ech man off other the diffautis seeth,
Yit on his owne no man will compleyne. 7004
But al the world out crieth on vs tweyne,
Whos hatful ire hi us may nat be queemyd;
For I mut deie, my fader hath so deemyd.
"Now I must Now farweel, brother, to me it doth suffise 7008
you for ever. To deie alloue for our bothe sake.
And in my moste feithful humble wise,
Onto my dethward thouh I tremble & quake,
Off the for euere now my leue I take. 7013
And onys a yeer, forget nat, but take heed,
Mi fatal day this lettre for to reed.
Have mind on So shaltow han on me sum remembrauwce,
Mi name enprentid in thi kalender, 7016
Bi rehersaile off my dedli greuauwce;
Were blak that day, & mak a doolful cheer.
And whan thou comest & shalt approche neer
Mi sepulture, I pray the nat disdeyne 7020
Vpon my graue sum we teris for to reyne."
^ Writyng hir lettir, awappid al* in dreede,
In hir riht hand hir pewne gan to quake;
And a sharp suerd to make hir herte bleede 7024
In his lefFt hand, hir fader hath hir take.
And most hir sorwe was for hir childes sake,
Vpon whos face in hir barm slepyng
Ful many a teer she wepte in compleynyng. 7028
AfFtir al this, so as she stood and quook,
Hir child beholdyng, myd off hir peynes smerte,
Withoute abood the sharp[e] suerd she took
And roofF hirselfF euene to the herte. 7032
Hir child fill doun, which myht[e] nat asterte,
Hauyng non helpe to socoure hym nor saue,
But in hir blood the silfF began to bathe.
Eoius then And thanwc hir fader, most cruel off entent, 7036
^thTtTh"e child Bad that the child sholde anon be take,
touid by Ifogs. Off cruel houndis in haste for to be rent
And be deuoured for his mooder sake.
me once a
year, wear
black that day
and do not
disdain to let
fall some tears
on my grave."
Her sorrow was
more for her
child than for
herself, and
with a sword
that her father
placed in her
hand she
pierced her
heart.
Off this tragedie thus an eende I make,
7040
7019. shalt] shal H. 7022. al] and B, J. 7024. a] om. H
7025. his] hir H. 7035. But] om. H, R 3.
BK.
I]
An Envoy on basty Vengeance
199
Processe off which, men may reede and see,
Concludith on myscheefF & furious cruelte.
Remembryng first, as maad is mencioun,
How that Pirrus delited hym in deede, 7044
Whan Troie was brouht to destruccioun,
With cruel suerd[e] Troian blood to sheede,
But of such slauhtr^, seeth heer the cruel meede,
As riht requereth, bi vnwar violence, 7048
Blood shad for blood is fynal recom pence.
This tragedy
tells of mis-
fortune and
furious cruelty,
which is pun-
ished in the
end.
Lenvoye.
WHAN surquedie oppressid hath pite, [p. 87]
And meeknesse is with tirannie bor doun
Ageyn al riht, &* hasti cruelte 7052
To be vengable maketh no dilacioun,
What folweth therofF? — be cleer inspeccioun,
Seeth an exaumple how Pirrus in his teene
Off hatful ire slouh yonge Polliceene. 7056
Kyng Eolus to rigerous was, parde.
And to vengable in his entencioun
Ageyn his childre Machaire & Canace,
So inportable was his punycioun, 7060
Off haste procedyng to ther destruccioun;
Wers in his ire, as it was weel seene.
Than cruel Pirrus, which slouh Polliceene.
Noble Pryncis, prudent and attempre,
Differrith vengaunce, off hih discrecioun;
Til your ire sumwhat asuagid be.
Doth neuer off doom non execucioun:
For hate and rancour perturben the resoun
Off hasti iuges, mor off entent oncleene
Than cruel Pirrus which slouh Polliceene.
9 Explicit liber primus.
9 Incipit prologus libri sectmdi.^
When pride
oppresses pity
against right,
and rigour
grants no
delay,
misfortune
follows.
King Eotus
was even
worse in his
rage than
Pyrrhus.
7064
7068
7070
Noble Princes,
always defer
vengeance
untU the heat
of your anger
is gone.
7047. slauhtrif seeth] om. H.
7052. Ageyn al riht &3 And ageyn riht B, H.
7061. haste] hasty H. 7062. his] om. H. 70&J. non] om.
H, R3.
^ The same rubric in MS. J. leaf 38 recto.
BOOK II
[PrologueJ
maTthfnk'that '^ I ^^ summc follc, parcas, it wolde seeme, [p. 87^]
I have told I Touchvng the chauwges & mutabilites
enough trage- JL t>' i • i i i • i i
dies, m me rehersid, that thei myhte deeme,
Off Fortunes strauwge aduersites 4
To pryncis shewed, douw pullid from ther sees.
The tragedies auhte inouh suffise
In compleynyng, which ye han herd deuise.
for it is de- The stori pitous, the processe lamentable, 8
pressing when -tt • , ^ . . 111 1* 1
no joy is Void otr loie, al gladnesse and* plesauwce,
mingled with . , " i • 1 1
pain, A thyng to greuous and to mportable,
Where-as no merthe is medlid with greuauwce,
Al upon compleynt standith thalliauwce, 12
Most whan Fortune, who that hir cowrs weel knewe,
Chaungith old ioie into sorwes newe.
whliTform^e^ ^" ^^^ ^^^^ ^Y"^ ^^^^ ncuet wiste ofF wo,
gladness is Remembtauwce ofF his old gladnesse, 16
turned into ^-j,, , . ,p o l
new sorrow. Whan his weeliare & plesauwce is ago.
And neuer aforn knew off non heuynesse, —
Such vnwar chaung, such vnkouth wrechidnesse
Causith in pryncis, thoruh newe dedli trouble, 20
AfFtir ther fallyng ther sorwes to be double.
But old exam- Qldc exauwples off pryncis that haruel fall,
pies of princes ,^ ^ rr- 111
who have fallen 1 het remembrauwcc on newe brouht to mynde,
teach all estates •» «■ . •11 -> •»
how to avoid May been a merour to estatis all, 24
How thei in vertu shal remedies fynde
Teschewe vices, off such as wer maad blynde.
Fro sodeyn fallyng hemsiluen to preserue,
Longe to contune and thank off God disserue.* 28
The ^aii of one The fall ofF on is a cleer lanterne
lantern to an- To teche a-nothet what he shal eschewe;
other, for m Ti 'i ly • i i ■
men deserve, so retell oit on, IS, who cau disccme,
wTrdedf "^^ Scoole and doctryn from pereil to remewe. 32
As men disserue such guerdouw ther mut sewe;
9. and] and al B, J, H 5.
14. chaungyng H — loies J, ioyes H 5, P.
20. Causid H. 24. to]ofH, R3.
28. disserue] to disserue B, J, P, H 5.
33. ther] om. J, H 5 — ther mut] mvt thei H.
200
BK. iQ
The Prologue
20 1
36
40
In vice nor vertu no man may God deceyue,
Lik ther desertis ther meede thei [shal] receyue.
Who folweth vertu lengest doth perseuere,
Be it in richesse, be it in pouerte;
Liht off trouthe his cleemesse kepith euere
Ageyn thassautis off al aduersite.
Vertu is cause off long prosperite;
And whan pryncis fro vertu doun declyne,
Ther fame is shroudid vndir the cliptik lyne.
For fals Fortune, which tumeth as a ball, [p, 88]
Off vnwar chaunges thouh men hir wheel atwite, 44
It is nat she that pryncis gaff the fall,
But vicious lyuyng, pleynli to endite:
Thouh God aboue ful offte hem doth respite,
Longe abidith, and doth his grace sende 48
To this entent, thei sholde ther liff amende.
For ther weelfare and ther abidyng longe.
Who aduertisith, dependith nat on chaunce.
Good liff and vertu maketh hem to be stronge, 52
And hem assureth in long perseuerauwce;
Vertu on Fortune maketh a diffiaunce.
That Fortune hath no domynacioun
Wher noble pryncis be gouerned be resoun.
But such as list[e] nat correctid be
Bexaumple off othre fro vicious gouemaunce.
And fro ther vices list nat for to fle:
Yiff thei be troubled in ther hih puissauwce,
Thei arette it Fortunys variaunce,
Touchyng the giltes that thei deden vse,
Ther demerites ful falsli to excuse.
Vertu conserueth pryncis in ther glorie *
And confermeth ther dominaciouns;
And vicis put ther price out off memorie.
For ther trespacis and ther transgressiouns.
And in alle such sodeyn mutaciouws,
Thei can no refut nor no bet socour,
But ageyn Fortune to maken ther clamour.
TTiose who fol-
low virtue
endure longest,
for virtue is
the source of
prosperity.
64
68
It is not
Fortuna who
causes princes
to fall, but
vicious living.
and Fortuna
has no
power over
princes who
are governed
by reason.
56
TThose who will
not learn to
abandon their
evil ways by
the example
- of others,
00 wrongly
ascribe their
fall to
Fortune's
variance,
and know no
better than to
make an
outcry against
her deceitfjl-
ness, as if
they them-
selves were
innocent.
35. shal] om. J, H 5.
44. vnwar] soden H — wheel] will H.
49. thei] J)at thei H.
63. ful] om.R — to] om. J, H 5. 64, 66, gloire, memoire B.
67. 2nd ther] om. H.
202 The Prologue [bk. ii
Make an outcri on hir doubilnesse,
As no gilt were in ther owne deede; 72
Thus ontreuli thei calle hir a goddesse,
Which lite or nouht may helpe at such a neede.
But yifF thei hadde God in loue & dreede,
Trustid his lordshep in herte, will & thouht, ' 76
Thei sholde Fortune pleynli sette at nouht.
Many stones Euidcncis ful cxpert and palpable,
have already •iiirr-V
been told, which 1 otom rehersid, told ott dyuers ages,
how they may WorldH glooe* veyu and ful onstable, 80
famng. ^ °' ^" With deceites double off ther visages,
Shewyng to pryncis ferme off ther corages,
Be these exaumples, how and in what wise
By othris* fallyng thei shal hemsilff chastise. 84
Comets, strange Signcs shewed and toknes in the heuene,
constellations, ° . 11 •
lightning and Dyuets cometis and constellaciouns,
rumbling of the Drecdful thundtyng, feerful firi leuene,
sig^ns bildfng Rumour in erthe and gret discenciouws, 88
blware and"' Disobeisauwce in sondry regiouns,
fiveTbefore'^it Shewen exauwples, ful weel afferme I dar,
is too late. Xo myhti pryncis, hem biddyng to be war,
Ther liff tamende or the Lord do smyte, 92
Thoruh necligence or it be to late;
And or the suerd off vengauwce kerue & bite.
Into vertues ther vicious liff translate,
Cherisshe rihtwisnesse, ageyn al wrong debate, 96
With dreed off God make hemsiluen stronger
Than is no doubte thei shal enduren longe.
Indurate the Who is nat wat bi othres chastisyng,
heart that cannot ^^ , i-i 111 'ii -""^
profit by the fate Uthre bi hym shal chastised be: loo
o ot ermen. f|^j.j jg jg ^j^^^. j^grte, which for no writyng.
For no dottryn nor non auctorite.
For non exauwple will from his vices flee;
To indurat is his froward entent, 104
Which wil nat suffre his hardnesse to relent.
Soft raindrops The touwde dropis off the smothe reyn,
•tones, Which that discende & falle from aloffte
80. gloire B — veyn] full veyn H.
83. how and in what wise]] full wele afferm? I dar^ H (but cor-
rected later).
84. By othris]] Bothris B — To myhti princis hem biddyng
to be warir H.
94. &3 or H. 100. shal chastised]] chastised shal H.
BK. Il]
The Prologue
203
On stonys harde, at eye as it is seyn, 108
Perceth ther hardnesse with ther fallyng ofFte,
Al-be in touchyng, water is but sofFte;
The percyng causid be force nor puissaunce,
But oflF fallyng be long contynuaunce. 112
Semblabli, ofF riht I dar reherse,
OfFte reedyng on bookis fructuous
The hertis sholde off prudent pryncis perse,
Synke in ther mynde & make hem vertuous 116
Teschewe all thynge that is vicious:
For what auaileth thexaumples that thei reede,
To ther reedyng yifF contraire be the deede ?
Cunnyng and deede, who can comprehende, 120
In cleer conceites thei be thynges tweyne;
And yifF cunnyng doth the deede amende,
Than atwen hem is maad a myhti cheyne,
A noble thyng, and riht souereyne: 124
For thanne ofF cunnyng the laboi^r is weel spent,
Whan deede folweth, & bothe been ofF assent.
Thus lohn Bochas procedyng in his book,
Which in noumbre is callid the secounde,
Gan for to write, and his purpos took
To sette in stories such as he hadde founde,
OfF entent alle vices to confounde
Be thexaumples which he dede expresse.
And at the gynnyng ofF his besynesse,
Myhti Saul to hym dede appeere,
Kyng ofF Israel, pitousli wepyng,
Dedli ofF face, and with an hidous cheere, 136
His vois I broke be manyfold sobbyng;
And to myn auctour his sorwe compleynyng,
Requeryng hym, togidre whan thei mette,
First in his book his woful fate to sette. 140
Anon afFtir, I ofF entencioun,
With penne in hande faste gan me speede,
As I koude, in my translacioun.
In this labour ferthere to proceede, 144
My lord cam forbi, and gan to taken heede;
and the fre-
quent reading
of good books
ought to make
princes
virtuous.
If actions are
governed by-
true knowledge
one's labour
is wdl q>ent.
[p. 89]
TTius John
Bochas begins
128 his Second
Book.
132
First Saul ap-
peared, begging
him, in a voice
broken by sobs,
to write his
story.
And whilst I
continued in
my translation,
my lord, IDuke
Humphrey,
came by and
bade me set an
envoy at the
end of each
126. ofTJatH, R3. 127. Thus] This H. 129. and] In H.
130. hadde] hath H.
136. an hidous] a pitouse H, a pitous R 3.
140. to] otn. H, R 3.
204 The Story of Saul ^bk. ii
This myhti prynce, riht manli & rlht wis,
GafF me charge in his prudent auys,
tragedy for the That I sholdc in eucri tragcdie, 148
of noble princes; AfFtif the pFocesse made menciouw.
At the eende sette a remedie,
With a lenvoie conueied be resoun,
And afftir that, with humble afFecciouw, 152
To noble pryncis lowli it directe,
Bi othres fallyng [thei myht] themsilfFcorrecte.*
And I obeied his biddyng and plesaunce,
Vnder support off his magnyficence. 156
As I coude, I gan my penne auaunce,
Al-be I was bareyn off eloquence,
Folwyng myn auctoMr in substaunce & sentence:
For it suffised, pleynli, onto me, 160
So that my lord my makyng took at gre.
^ Finis prologi libri secundi.
^ Sequitur liber secundus.
and, to please
my lord, I
obeyed, al-
though barren
of eloquence.
Saul was born
of the Ime of
Benjamin.
Once, when
seeking his
father's asses.
[How Saul, Kyng of lerusdem bom of low degre as
long as he dred god was obedient to him/ and
rewlid by good counsaile had many grete dis-
confitures/ but atte last/ for his pride presump-
cioun and grete disobysaunce/ he lost his crowne
and was slajna by Philestees.] ^
THIS said[e] Saul, of whom I spak toforn, [p. 91]
Ful weel compact & large of his stature,
Off the lyne of Bewiamyn eek born, 164
His fader Ceis was callid in Scripture,
Whos assis whilom lefFte* ther pasture; —
Space off thre daies Saul hadde hem souht,
Loste his labour and ne fond hem nouht.
a child For thei were gon out so ferr a-stray,
him to leave off So disscucred hc nc koude hem meete,
s^muef'" Til that a child hym suyng al the way
Gaff hym couwseil his labour for to lete,
And that he sholde gon to the prophete,
Which was ful famous holde in Israel,
Off whom the name was callid Samuel.
154. correcte] to correcte B.
166. leffte] lefften B, leften J, lost H.
1 MS. J. leaf 38 recto, as long] aslong J.
168
172
BK. Il]
The Story of Saul
Which Saul made in his hous to dyne, 176
Receyued hym ofFgret affeccioun;
And be precept & ordenaunce deuyne,
Samuel made no prolongacioun,
But shadde the hooli sacred vnccioun 180
Vpon the hed off Saul, doun knelyng,
And ful deuoutli off Israel made hym kyng.
Off goddis peeple to ha[ue] the gouernaunce.
With sceptre & crowne, and hool the regalie. 184
And his noblesse mor myhtili tauaunce,
With meek[e]nesse to reule his monarchie,
God gaiF to hym a sperit off prophecie.
Which was gret glorie* to his magnyficence, 188
Off futur thynges to haue prescience.
And whil that he was meek & humble in deede.
Void off pride and fals presumpcioun.
And prudent counsail with hym dede leede, 192
Hym to goueme bi good discrecioun.
He fond quiete thoruh al his regeoun;
No foreyn enmy durst hym tho werreye,
Whil he the Lord meekli dede obeie. 196
Non enmy myhte ageyn[e]s hym recure
Thoruh non enprises, but sore dede hym dreede; —
Made many gret disconfiture
Thoruh his force, knyhthod & manheede 200
On Philistes, and dauntid eek in deede
Too myhti kynges, the ton off Ammonytes,
And a-nother, that gouemed Moabites.
He was founde eek strong and victorious, 204
The Palestynes bryngyng to myschaunce;
Geyn Ydumes, so myhti and famous,
Thoruh his knyhtli prudent gouernaunce,
That he ther pride brouhte onto vttraunce, 208
Outraied hem off wisdam and manheede, —
Primo Reguw, as ye may pleynli reede.
He was a sone callid off o yeer.
In Israel whan his regne began, 212
Stable off herte and benygne off cheer,
Froward nor sturdi to no maner man.
Al that while loue off the peeple he wan,
179. no] no long H, noo longe R 3. 188. gloire B.
195- tho] to H, J, P, H s. 204. founde] om. H, R 3.
20?
who received
bim with affec-
tion and
anointed him
King of Itrael.
God gave Saul
a spirit of
prophecy.
and he ruled
with wisdom
and prospered
and was suc-
cessful against
his enemie*.
and defeated
among others
the Idumeans,
as you may
read in the
First Book of
Kings.
So long as he
remained kind
and stable of
heart, he kept
the love of his
people;
2o6 SauVs Pride and Wilfulness [^bk. ii
The tyme, I meene, whil he was iust & stable, 216
And in his werkis nat founde* variable.
but when he But whan that pride gan his herte enhauwce,
grew proud and - / °
wilful and no Wiltulnesse and lals malencolie
God, Outraied resoun, to ha[ue] the gouernaunce 220
OfF his olde famous policie,
And hadde forgetyn in his fantasie
To knowe the Lord & meekH sue his lawe,
God from his crowne his grace gan withdrawe. 224
God withdrew Thonkynde werm off foryetilnesse
him. In his herte hadde myned thoruh the wall,
Whan he to God, for his kynd[e]nesse,
Gaff no laude nor no thank attall, 228
Which hadde hym reised onto estat royall
Fro pore degre, mong al his kyn alone,
Be synguler fauour to sette hym in his throne.
What is more What thyng in herte mor froward mai be thouht 232
f reward than ,_p,, • i i r ^
the presump- 1 han IS the sodcyu rals presumpcioun
8u°ddeniy °°^ Off a wrechchc that cam vp off nouht,
powM?^° To yeue hym lordshepe and dominacioun.?
And for to make a pleyn comparisouw, 236
Men sholde off resoun dreede a leoun lasse
Than the reudnesse off a crownyd asse.
A lion is less What thyug to God is mor abhomynable
to be feared ,^, r, " . , ~ ,
than a crowned 1 han pride upreised out ort pouertc^ 240
And nothyng gladli is founde mor vengable
Than ar wrechchis set in hih degre:
For from his stok kynde may nat fle;
Ech thyng resortith, how ferr euer it go, 244
To the nature which that it cam fro.
reve^n ifui"thln ^^"^ ^"^ apples taken ther tarage [p. 92]
a wretch set in Whcr thei fitst grcuh off the same tre,
Every creature And scmblabH ech kyurcede & lynage — 248
inherited'* Onys a yeer it will non othir be —
nature. g^ tokuc OX signe, at eye as men may see,
Draweth comounli in eueri creature
Sum tech to folwen afftir his nature. 252
217. founde] founden B.
230. mong] among H, R 3. 238. "marke thys," in a later
hand, arid a line drawn in margin opposite the following four
and a half stanzas in J.
239. is morf to god H. 242. ar] er H. 245. the] ther H.
BK. Il]
The Beginning of SauVs Misfortunes
207
I write nat this in rebuk off pouert;
But for suche onli as that it disserue:
God off his myht, as men be weel expert.
May hem in vertu encresen and conserue, 256
From al myscheeff a poore man preserue,
Reise hem on heihte to dominaciouns
Thoruh hih noblesse off ther condiciouns.
Be influence God may his grace sheede
Wher he fynt cause onli be meeknesse,
A poore man to reise hym vp in deede
Onto thestat off vertuous noblesse;
For out off vertu cometh al gentilesse.
In poore and riche mak non excepcioun,
But hem comende lik ther condicioun.
A poore man which that is vertuous
And dredith God in his pouerte, 26S
Ech thyng eschewyng that is vicious,
And to his power doth trouthe & equite, —
I dar riht weel, what-euer that he be,
Puttyng no rebuk onto his kynreede, 272
But calle hym gentil veraili in deede.-
But kyng Saul was contrarious,
Disobeisaunt founde in his werkyng,
WTian God made hym to be victorious 276
On Amalech, where Agag was kyng,
Hym comaundyng* to spare no maner thyng,
Man nor woman, beeste nor child socoure.
But that his suerd sholde al quyk thyng deuoure. 280
But Saul wrouhte al in other wise,
Ech thyng reseruyng that was fair to siht;
And off entent to make a sacrefise,
Afftir his victorie* he shoop hym anon riht, 284
Fattest beestis he ches, & hath hem diht
Toward the fir to maken his offryng.
And fro deth he spared Agag the kyng.
He was repreued afftir of Samuel, 288
To Godis biddyng for he was contraire,
As abiect to regne in Israel,
I cast no slur
on poverty: I
blame those
only who de-
serve reproof.
260 God may raise
a poor man to
nobility, for
all gentility
comes from
virtue,
264
and a poor
man who is
upright and
fears God can
only be called
gentle.
But Saul was
disobedient
when God bade
him massacre
the Amalekitet
and destroy
all their
possessions.
He even spared
the life of
Agag their
king.
Reproved by
Samuel, his
power of fore-
seeing failed.
257. do pr«<rrve H. 258. on] of H.
261. fyndith R 3, findeth P. 262. to] om. H.
271. I dar riht weel] I dar say H, R 3, P.
278. comaundyng] comaundid B, J. 284. victoire B, J.
2o8 Saul and David []bk. il
and he was That al good hoDC III hvm gan disespaire;
tormented by ^^. ° , . *^ , Ti o •
an evU spirit. His gracc, his myht gan pallen & appaire, 292
His prophecie afFtir hath hym failed.
And with a feend he was also trauailed.
Thus Fortune Thus from hif wheel Fortune cast hym doun,
cast him down, aiii r ^ • • ^
and God trans- Aualed hym irom his roial see; 296
to^ David""'^" And God also took awey the crown,
Bothe from hym and his posterite,
And set up Dauid for his humilite.
Loo, how the Lord his doomys can deuyde 300
Tenhaunce meeknesse and tabate pryde!
Saul was Saul cudured in his frenesle,
jealous of David . ., i t • i 11 "i
because he slew A wikkcd Spent SO sorc hym dede assaile;
oniy^a sraff- Onto Dauid euer he hadde envie, 304
sling, That he was hardi tentren in bataile, —
With a stafslynge, void off plate & maile,
Slouh Golias, withoute feer or dreed,
Pulled out his suerd[e] & smet off his hed. 308
and when At thet rcpairyng hom out off the feeld,
Fa"vid'8 praises. Whan Dauid hadde slay[e]n this Golie,
Yonge maidnes whan [that] thei beheeld
The grete victory, thei in ther armonye 312
In laude off Dauid thus gan synge & crie:
"Saul hath slayn a thousand thoruh his myht,
Dauid ten thousand, the lusty yonge knyht!"
Saul felt angry gaul disdcyned and seide frowardli, 316
and conspired "Thei grauwtid han a thousand to my name,
David's death. ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ y^^j
Youe ten thousand to encrece* his fame,
Which is to me a rebeuk and a shame." 320
Wherupon this Saul, fret with ire.
Off yonge Dauid gan the deth conspire.
He knew in hi» Jn his herte he hadde a fantasie
singing was Off ther syngyug whan that he took heed^, 324
prophetic. Dempte it was a maner prophecie.
That Dauid sholde preferrid be in deed^
And to the crowne afftir hym succeed*?.
Thouhte his childre, as he gan dyuyne, 328
Sholde be depryued off the roial lyne.
294. alsoTom. H.
317. hanJhaveH. 319. to encrece] tencrece B, H, J.
319, 20 are transposed in R 3.
BK. Il]
Saul and David
209
Thus day be day Saul weies souhte [p. 93]
To sle[en] Dauid, pleynli yifF he myhte,
Al-be-it so that he no malice thouhte, 332
But euer kept hym lowli in his sihte.
Therfore good eure & grace on hym alihte;
For ay the Lord off his magnyficence
Ageyn tirantis preserueth innocence. 336
And as the Bible pleynli doth us lere.
This Dauid hadde in his tendre age
For his noblesse the kyngis doubter deere,
Callid Michol, ioyned be manage. 340
And whan that Saul fill in any rage,
Dauid anon, tasswagen his woodnesse,
Touchid his harpe & brouht him in gladnesse.
Saul ful ofFte gan Dauid to enchace
And werreie thoruhout all his londis,
Thoruh desertis hym pursue & manace.
Off entent tashet hym up in bondis
Or taslaie hym, yilF he com in his hondis.
But fynali God thoruh his ordynaunce
Preserued his knyht from al maner myschaunce.
Saul ful ofFte was brouht to myscheefF,
Yit ay fro deth[e] Dauid dede hym saue;
And heeroff this was a special preefF,
Whan Dauid kitte his garnement in the caue.
And mo toknys yiff ye list to haue.
Another tyme Dauid also kepte 356
The liff off Saul, whan he lay & slepte.
The cas was this: as thei lay hosteieng
Nat ferr assonder, and Saul lay and sleeps,
Al his peeple aboute[n] hym slepyng, 360
And onpurueied lik a flok off sheep*? ;
Off which[e] thyng Dauid took good keep^,
Doun descendid, and made no delay.
Cam to the tente wher kyng Saul lay. 364
The spere off Saul stondyng at his bed,
Dauid took it and wente his way anon;
Off his comyng ther was no man took heed,
David had no
envy of Saul,
and was
married to hit
daughter
Michal;
■,.4 but Saul
"'"*^ constantly
pursued
him.
348
although
David often
352 spared his
life.
and once
entered his
unguarded
tent
and carried
off his spear,
while Saul
and his men
slept.
334. ahhte] hath liht H. 345. thoruhout] thoruh H, R 3.
348. tasslayn H, to haue slevn R 3. 354. garment H, P.
359. and] om. H. 361. lik] lik as H.
366. his way] away H.
2IO Saul and David Qbk. ii
For Saul slepte and his men echon. 368
And whan that he vp to the hill was gon,
Toward Saul ageyn he cast his look,
Made a noise that all his knyhtes wook.
David then First to Abnor, prynce off his cheualrie, 372
woke them and y-v • i • i i t •
toidAbner Dauid scide these woordis in sentence:
"Abnor," quod he, "thou hast doon gret folie,
This day shewed a gret necligence,
To suffre off Saul the magnyficence 376
In pereil stonde, and non heed [to] take,
Aboute his persone to make his knyhtis wake.
iseen recWess of Xhou art to blame for thi reklesnesse,
and deserved To leue the kyng stoudc in so gret zf dreed^, 380
death and tor- , i i o
ture for his In slcp to haue mor sauour & suetnesse
carelessness. ^j^^^ ^^ j^j^ jj^ ^^^^.^ ^^ ^^j^^^^ j^^^j^^
Such necligence requereth for his meed<f
Deth and torment, be rihtful iuggement, 384
Aboute a prynce whan folk be necligent.
"See, here is And yiff thou list to secn an euidence,
nLVbdievr'' How that his lifF stood in iupartie,
Jou were'"^^ See heer his spere, & yifF therto credence, 388
How onprouyded ye were on your partie, —
Saul nor thou, ye may it nat denye,
Your lifF, your deth, your power, your puissaunce
This day God put hool in my gouernauwce. 392
"But I have But me taquiten off pur innocence,
aglfnst°h1mjas As eueri man sholde onto his kyng,
God knows." ^^j ^^ declare in me was non offence
Ageyn his noblesse in will nor in werkyng, 396
As God weel wot, that knoweth euery thyng,
That I neuer be no conspiracie
Wrouhte nor compassid ageyn his regalie."
Thus David Loo, hecr exaumple off parfit pacience 4°°
returned good j^^^^^ malice to shcwc kynd[e]nesse!
Wher Saul shewed his mortal violence,
Dauid aquit hym with suffraunce & goodnesse.
The tirant venquysshid bi his prudent meeknesse.404
Men ageyn trouthe may weel a werre gynne.
But at the eende the palme he doth ay wynne.
382. for]ofn. P, R 3- „
391. power your puissaunce] puyssau«ce your power H.
392. governeer H. 394. onto] to H.
BK. Il]
Saul and the Witch of Endor
For off this story yiff that ye take heed,
Saul is falle for his frowardnesse
Into myscheeff and into sodeyn dreed;
For Philistees, the Bible berth witnesse,
With a gret power gan ther wardis dresse
Vpon kyng Saul auenged for to be,
Ther tentis pihte beside Gelboe.
Wheroff kyng Saul, astonj-d in his herte,
Hadde lost his sperit off knyhtli hardynesse,
And speciali whan he dede aduerte
Prophete was non his harmys to redresse,
Off futur thynges trouthe to expresse
In Israel, which cast hym in gret dreed.
Because that tyme Samuel was ded.
For Saul hadde cast out alle dyuynes
From Israel and ech dyuyneresse,
Nat-withstandyng [that] the Palestynes
Were rise ageyn, his power to oppresse;
And he ne knew no maner sorceresse
Off whom he myhte any counseil take.
And he off God that tyme was forsake.
In this wise he stood disconsolat,
Counseil off God nor prophete kneuh he non,
But lik a man most infortunat,
Ongraciousli he spedde hym foorth anon,
And secreli this Saul is foorth gon
To a woman that sholde hym reede and wisse,
In Israel callid a phetonysse.
Which is a name, as clerkis writen all.
And office, who that takith heede,
Soulis off men ageyn to clepe & call —
I meene such[e] that toforn wer dede —
Which is a thyng straunge for to reede.
That any woman sholde, who list to lere,
Make soulis of dede men appeere.
408
412
211
and Saul,
finally attacked
by the Phili»-
tines, at
Gel boa,
[P- 94]
416
420
424
428
432
436
became afraid;
and as he had
eiiled all the
propheti and
diviners, and
Samuel was
dead,
he went to a
woman
called in
Israel a
pythoness.
who could call
the souls of
dead men back
to earth, which
is a very
strange thing,
440
407. yiff that ye take"] who that takith H.
413. Ther] The H.
423. that] om. H, J, P, H 5, R 3.
430. lik]om. J.
433. that] which H.
434. Phitonesse H,
438. that] as H.
441. appeere] tappeere H, to apper R 3, to appere P.
212 Saul is told his Fate [^bk. ii
and, as it seems Vnlcouth & straungc is thcF opynvoun,
to me, not . ° . ^■' -f '
according to And to my Witt a maner inpossible,
reason, that an ■» -r ■• i
invisible thing IN at accordyng, me semeth, to resoun, 444
to°b!^iiy^''ey"s. Not Hk a thyng which that is credible,
That a soule, off nature inuisible,
Mihte appeere or shewe visibly
Onto eyen which that be bodily. 448
?choiir»\'nd'*' But or that I any ferthere flitte,
divine* List I Were holde to presumptuous,
To dyuynys this mater I comwytte
And wise clerkis that be vertuous, 452
In ther wittis subtil and corious
To conclude, as it doth hem seeme,
In this mater a trouthe for to deeme,
decide whether Whethit it was the soule off Samuel, 456
of Samuel or Ot Other spcrit, that she dede call,
sph^i^t wh"toid Which that tolde the kyng ofF Israel
Off the bataile that sholde afFtir fall.
His auenturis and his myscheuys all. 460
And off his deth he tolde also in deede.
And how Dauid sholde afFtir hym succeede,
Saul, that for Bccause onli ofF his disobeisauwce,
his disobedience ... . i r i • i
he should die in As it IS writc, and tor his reclesnesse, • 464
Ph"istinL and On Amalech for he took nat vengaunce.
by Davld'^^'^ Thus the sperit bar to hym witnesse.
Whereoff Saul fell in gret heuynesse,
Knowyng no mene tescape out ofF this doute, 468
But take his fortune as it cometh aboute.
Tolde hym also his enmyes were so wroth,
The Philistees beside Gelboe,
In that bataile he and his childre both 472
Sholde deie that day, ofF necessite;
His cheualrie shal sconfited be,
OfF his regne there is no lengere date.
For God horn hym his kyngdam will translate. 476
After his defeat, And thus Saul retoumed is agayn,
Saul bade his ^. ~, . , , .. f.
squire run him His meync afttir brouht to disconhture.
heart,^ * "^ And whan he sauh al his peeple slayn,
And how ther was no mene to recure 480
In that dedli woful auenture,
443. Impossible H. 44.7. or] & H, nor J.
449. or] er H. 455] tor in this mater; I can nat deeme H.
BK. Il]
The Death of Saul
213
He bad his squier take his suerd as blyue,
And thoruh the herte that he sholde hym rj'^ue,
That his enmyes, which were oncircumsised, 484
Sholde ha[ue] no power, in story it is founde,
To falle vpon hym as thei han deuised,
To yeuen hym his laste fatal wounde,
His hih noblesse at myscheeff to confounde. 488
But his squyer, for feer of God and dreed,
Wold nat assente to doon so foul a deed;
To slen his lord he gretli was afFerd,
A thyng hatful in eueri manys siht. 492
But Saul took the pomel off his suerd.
And in the ground ful deepe anon it piht;
And in al hast possible that he myht,
Made the poynt, in his furious peyne, 496
To perce his herte & parte euene on tweyne.
The Philistees, anon as he was ded, [p. 95]
Spoiled hym off his roial armure,
Dismembrid hym and smet off his hed,
And in tokne off ther disconfiture
Took the spoiles with al ther besi cure
And therofF made, in al ther beste entent,
To Astaroth* off pride a gret present.
Thus was Saul slay[e]n in sentence
Off Philistees vpon Gelboe,
Forsake off God for inobedience,
Abiect also doun from his roial see: 508
And thus for lakkyng off humylite.
Off God he was for euere set a-side.
Loo, heer the eende off surquedie & pride!
so that he
should not fall
into the hands
of his foes; but
the squire
dared
not kill him,
and Saul had
to fall on his
own sword,
500
504
and was des-
poiled and
dismembered
by the
Philistines.
Thus Saul, for-
saken by God
for disobedi-
ence, was cast
down from his
throne and
slain.
9 Lenvoy^.
HATH mynde on Saul, which to estat roiall
Fro louh degre was callid for meeknesse;
But pr^sumpcioun made hym haue a fall.
Off God abiect for his frowardnesse,
Loste his crowne, the Bible berth witnesse.
And cause was, for his disobeisaunce;
To Godis biddyng he gaff non attendaunce.
483.
499-
that] om. H.
ofiG & of H.
495 al] the H.
504. Astraoth B, J.
512
516
Remember the
fate of Saul,
who rose from
low degree and
lost his crown
for disobedi-
ence.
514. to have H.
214
Bochas' Praise of Obedience
[bk.
II
God asks of us God nat axeth no mor off man att all
only an honest „ , ,r , , . , it.,
heart, but he Cut nool[ej hcrtc withoute doubilnesse, 520
who disobey FoF allc the glfftcs, which in especiall
He gaff to man off his hih goodnesse;
But he chastisith al onkynd[e]nesse,
Such as be rebel for to do plesaunce, 524
And to his biddyng ne yeue non attendaunce.
Noble Princes, Noble Pryncis, vertu most pryncepall
II you would -- •' . I •] 1 1
keep your You to consetue m your hih noblesse,
crowns, be just t . . ,,
and obey God. Is to cnptente m yout memoriall 528
Feith, equite, alle wrongis to redresse,
To susteene trouthe and rihtwisnesse,
And tofor God holdeth euenli the balaunce,
And to his biddyng yeueth hool your attendaunce. 532
Virtue of Vir-
tues is true
obedience.
Without it all
worldly policy
were destroyed,
Where
discretion
rules without
wilfulness, the
people should
obey their
princes.
Obedience
brings welfare,
joy and prosper-
ity to all
lands:
^ The comendacion of Bochas oppon the vertu of
obedience.^
VERTU off vertues, most off excellence,
Which that hath most souereyn suifisauwce,
Is the vertu off trewe obedience.
Which set all thynge in rihtful gouernauwce:
For ne v^^er nat this prudent ordenauwce,
Sumwe tobeie and sum^we aboue to guie,
Destroied were al v^^orldli policie.
Where that vertu and hih discreciouw
Auoided han from hem al w^ilfulnesse.
Be title onli off domynacioun,
Trew^li lyuyng vpon rihtv\^isnesse,
Wrong and errours iustli to redresse.
Off trouthe I may riht weel afferme & seie.
The peeple meekli ther biddyng sholde obeie.
This noble vertu off feithful obeisaunce,
• Establisshid vpon humylite,
Which includith no double variauwce.
In all regeouws and in ech contre
Causeth v^eelfare, ioie and prosperite;
And as vertu, cheeff and souereyne,
Al vicious riot it pleynli doth restreyne.
519. of man no more H. This stanza is transposed with the
next tn R J. 526. vertu] of yertu. H.
528. Is to] It is (Emprent) H. 531. holdeth] hold P.
541. have H. 546. sholde] did H. 553. riot] root H.
^ "A commendacioun," etc., MS. J. leaf 40 a, otherwise agreeing
with B.
536
S40
544
548
552
BK. II.]
Bochas' Praise of Obedience
21
Obedience eek, as men may see,
Falsnesse exilith and al rebellioun;
For hi atempraunce,* riht and equite 556
Stant the weelfare off eueri regeoun :
For the meeknesse and low subieccioun
Off comountes halt up the regalies
Off lordshepes & off all monarchies. 560
And, no doubte, whan lordshepes off entent
Besi been the souereyn Lord to queeme.
To ther subiectis do rihtful iugement.
In conscience as riht and resoun deeme, 564
Than shal ther crowne and [ther] diadeeme
Vpon ther hed perseuere & fresshli shyne,
And make subiectis to her biddyng enclyne.
Thus obeisauwce pleynli at a woord,
In such as han lordshepe and souereynte,
Doon off entent to ther souereyn Lord,
Shal cause hem regne in long prosperite,
And ther subiectis off humylite,
For ther noble famous gouernaunce,
Ay to be redy vnder ther obeisaunce.
For who that serueth the Lord off Lordis all, [p.
And hath the peeple in his subieccioun,
God will keepe hym that he shal nat fall,
Longe preserue his domynacioun;
But ageynward, whan wisdam and resoun
Been ouermaistried with sensualite,
Farweel the floures off ther felicite!
Obedience bluntith the sharpnesse
Off cruel suerdis in tirantis hondis.
And meeknesse appesith the felnesse 584
Off hasti vengaunce, brekith atoo the bondis;
Eek pacience set quyete in londis:
And where these thre contune in comountes,
Long pes perseuereth in kyngdames & cites. 588
Obedience doth also restreyne
Conspiracies and fals coUusiouns;
Whan she stant onpartid, nat on tweyne,
556. batempraunce B.
565. 2nd ther] om. J, H 5, P. 567. enclyne] declyne H.
568. Thus] This H. 569. han] have H.
576. peeplis H. 586. settith R 3, setteth P.
588. in] om. H, R 3, P.
it excludes de-
ceit and re-
bellion;
and when
princes are
zealous to
please God
and do right,
they shall
keep their
crowns.
rgg and their
subjects will
obey them.
572
9 6] The ruler who
seri-es God
576 shall not fall.
580
Obedience,
humility, and
patience in
princes bring
peace to their
realms
and restrain
conspiracies.
2l6
Bochas' Praise of Obedience
[bk. II
Subjects are
not rebellious
to princes who
honour God.
But Saul was
put down for
his obstinacy.
As it is incum-
bent on kings
to rule benevo-
lently, so do
obedience and
reverence ap-
pertain to their
subjects, and
there is neither
obedience nor
unity when
subjects pre-
sume against
their princes.
There is no dreed off no discenciouns:
For she combyneth the trewe opynyouws
In peepHs hertis, ful weel aforn prouyded,
Vnder pryncis to stonde hool ondeuyded.
Wher pryncis be meek, humble & debonaire
Towardis God off hool afFecciouw,
Ther subiectis be gladli nat contraire
In ther seruise be no rebellious;
For ther is fouwde no deuysioun,
But bed & membris, ech for his partie,
Be so gouerned be prudent policie.
Contrariousli Saul was put douw,
Abiect off God for his obstynacie,
Put from his sceptre, his crowne, his regeouw,
Off Israel loste al the monarchie,
For he list nat make off his alie,
Off frowardnesse and wilful necligence,
This noble vertu callid obedience.
For as it longith in kyngdamys & citees,
Vnder a keye off on benyuolence,
Pryncis, kynges to gouerne [in] ther sees,
So apperteneth deu[e] reuerence
To ther subiectis bi obedience,
Tobeie ther lordis, as thei been off degre,
Be title off riht in eueri comouwte.
For obelsauwce, iff it be discernyd
With Argus eyen, who that taketh heed.
As riht requereth is nat weel gouernyd.
Whan the membris presume ageyn the bed,
Off gouernauwce ther is no parfit speed;
From vnyte thei gon a froward weie.
Whan subiectis ther pryncis disobeie.
592
596
600
604
608
612
616
620
The young
King Reho-
boara, son of
Solomon,
[How kyng Roboam for gevyng feith to yonge
counsaile lost the beneuolence of his peple and
deied a fool.] ^
ONTO lohn Bochaj in ordre next ther cam,
With ful gret dool and lamentacioun,
The yonge kyng callid Roboam,
605. 3r(l his] & his H. 610. in] to H.
617. obeisauMce] obedience H — discernyd] descrived H.
1 MS. J. leaf 40 recto.
624
BK, li]
The Life of Rehohoam
217
Sone and next heir to Salamoun,
Entryng be title off iust successioun, 628
Besouhte myn auctour to make ofF his folic
And off his fallyng a pitous tragedie.
First whan he entred into his regeoun,
Twelue tribus gouernyng in deede, 632
Rewlid hymsilfF be will and no resoun,
Kepte his subiectis pleynli, as I reede,
Nat vnder loue but vnder froward dreede;
OfF olde wise, to his gret disauail, 636
He despised the doctryn and counsail.
He demened, as it is weel kouth,
His sceptre, his crowne and his regalie
Be such folk as floured in her youth, 640
Coude off custum ther wittis weel applie
To bleende hym falsli with ther flat[e]rie,
Which is a stepmooder callid in substauwce
To al vertu and al* good gouernaunce. 644
Alas, it is gret dool and gret pite.
That flat[e]rie sholde haue so gret fauour.
Which bleendith princis that they may nat see,
Mistith the eyen off eueri gouernour, 648
That thei can nat knowe her owne errour,
Fals hony shad ay on ther sentence.
A fool is he that yeueth to hem credence.
Thei may be callid the deuehs taboureris, 652
With froward sownys eris to fulfille;
Or oflF Circes the pereilous boteleris.
Which galle and hony [togedir] doun distille,
WTios drynkes been bothe amerous & ille, 656
And, as clerkis weel deuise cunne,
Wers than the drynkes off Cirenes tunne.
Eris off pryncis ful weel thei can enoynte [p. 97]
With the soffte oile off adulacioun, 660
And ther termys most subtili appoynte,
Ech thyng concludyng with fals decepcioun,
Ay blandisshyng with amerous poisoun;
640. her] om. H. 644. 2nd al] to al B, H, R 3, H 5.
652. taboumer« H, taberoures R 3, tabourers P.
654. butlers P. 655. togedir] om. J.
659. Anoynte H.
besought my
author to t«5l
the tragedy
of his faU.
Even when he
first came to
the throne he
despised the
counsel of
wise men
and followed
the advice of
youthful flat-
terers.
to whom only
fools give
credence;
for such may
be called the
devil's tam-
bourineuTS,
who din evil
into men's
subtle of
speech, and
always ending
with
deception.
21 8 Rehoboam's Folly [bk. ii
And fynali, as the poete seith, 664
Ther feith off custum concludith with onfeith.
they flower in Flourving in woordis, thouh ther be no frut,
words without --^ , , ^— i i rr i
fruit and are UouDie ott heftc, plesauwt oit language,
trathf ° Off trewe menyng void and destitut, 668
In mustryng outward pretende a fair visage:
Who trusteth hem fyndeth * smal auauntage,
Be apparence & glorious fressh shewyng
Pryncis deceyuyng & many a worthi kyng. 672
as Rehoboam Roboam * Can here ful weel witnesse,
can well bear _^ , . . r 1 1 • i
witness. T rom hym auoidyng tolkis that were trewe,
How he was hyndred be flatrie & falsnesse
Be hem that coude forge out tahs newe; 676
Whos couwseil afftir sore dede hym rewe.
And with ther feyned fals suggestions
GretH abreggid his dominaciouw.
Of fooiy youth He dempte hymsilff off more auctorite, 680
tionheTeheved Off foH youthe and off presumpciouw,
thTnhisTather, Than was his fader in al his * rialte.
And this pompous fals opynyouw
Cam into his conceit bi adulaciouw; 684
For flatereris bar to hym witnesse.
How he excellid his fadres hih noblesse.
and oppressed He dede gret rigour and oppressions
And when they Vpon his peeple, as it was weel preued; 688
relfeTfrpm And thei to fynde sum mytigaciouw
their tributes, j^^ matetis which that han hem greued,
Off ther tributis for to be releued,
Besouhte he wolde relece hem in ther neede: 692
But al for nouht; he took theroff non heede.
he set aside Al old coussail from hym he sette a-side
seu^paw"" And refusid ther doctryn and ther lore;
no mention to ^^^ ^^ ^^j^ cOUSSail off folkis ful off pride, 696
His poore liges he oppressid sore.
And ten kynredis anon, withoute more,
For tiranwye and for mysgouernausce
From hym withdrouh ther trouthe & legeauwce. 700
670. fyndeth] fynt B, J, H.
673. RoboamJ Roboan B, J (Roboam H, R 3, H 5, P).
682. al his] his gret B, gret J. 684. into] to H.
686. fadres hih noblesse] fadir in fairnesse H. 690. have H.
694. he] to H, R 3.
BK. Il]
Rehohoam and the Ten Tribes
219
Thus off the kyng conceyued the rigour,
The peeple anon off indignacioun
Stooned Adoram, which was collectour
Off the tributis in al his regeoun;
From hym departyng hi rebellioun.
Wheroff astonyd, tauenge his gret onriht,
Into Iherusalem took anon his fliht.
And whan thei were partid from Roboam,
The ten kynredis be dyuysioun
Ches hem a kyng callid leroboam.
And Roboam, withynne his roial toun.
To been auengid on ther rebellioun
And for to doon on hem cruel iustise,
An hundred thousand he made anon tarise.
With leroboam he caste hym for to meete,
And al attonys sette in iupartie;
But Semeias* the prophete bad hym lete,
And from the werre withdrawen his partie.
And mor the quarel for to iustefie,
Off his peeplis froward departyng,
It was Godis will doon for a pun[y]shyng.
Touchyng the surplus off his gouemaunce,
His roial beeldyng off many fair cite.
His grete riche famous suffisaunce.
Off wyn and oile hauyng gret plente.
And how his empire encrecid yeres thre,
Eek how that tyme he rihtful was in deede,
In Josephus his story ye may reede.
Off his childre bom in the riht[e] lyne,
Eihtene wyues, as maad is mencioun,
I fynde he hadde, and many concubyne,
Sonys and douhtris be procreacioun;
And how his richesse and gret pocessioun
That tyme encreced, as it is weel knowe,
To God a-boue whil that he bar hym lowe.
But, as this auctour maketh rehersaile.
In his encres and augmentacioun,
Meeknesse off herte in hym gan waste & faile,
706. gret] h^ne H. 707. took anon] he tooke H.
708. departid H. 714. to rise H.
717. Semeias] Rameus B, H, J, R 3 H 5.
737. Aumentacioun H. 738. waste &] om. H.
704
708
712
716
720
724
So ten tribes
arose, stoned a
tax collector
named Adoram
and renounced
their
allegiance.
Rehoboam fled
to Jerusalem.
The ten tribes
chose
Jeroboam
king.
Rehoboam
raised an armf
of 100,000,
but Shemaiah
advised him
to withdraw.
For the rest,
his story is
told in
Josephus.
728
He had
eighteen
wives and
many concu-
bines and a
profusion
732 of children.
njg but lost his
meekness of
heart and be-
came vicious;
220 The Chastising of Rehoboam [bk. ii
And pride entrld with fals presumpcioun,
Vertu dispisyng and al relegeouw; 740
AfFter whos vices, as seith the same book,
Wikkid exauwple off hym the peeple took.
and the people. AfFter the mancrcs, wher thei be good or ille, f p. 08]
as always hap- -rj - ■, ry ... ° 'li-^j
pens, followed Vsid oit pryncis m dyuers regeouws, 744
ample. The pecple is redy to vsen and fulfille
Fulli the traces off ther condiciouws:
For lordis may in ther subiecciouws.
So as hem list, who-so can taken heede, 748
To vice or vertu ther subiectis leede.
So he was Thus Roboam for his transgressiouws,
chastised by _. _ , . . . . S'
God, In losephus as it is deuised.
And for his froward fals opynyouns, 752
Onli for he al vertu hath despised,
Off God he was rihtfully chastised:
In Jerusalem his cheeff roial toun
Off his enmyes besegid envirouw. 756
besieged in his The kyng off Egipt a sege aboute hym laide
capital by the ._,. , "^ ° 11 1
king of Egypt, With SO gtet peeple, that socowr was ther non,
Al-be-it so that Roboam abraide
And preied God delyuere hym from his fon, 760
Tauoide off merci his enmies euerichon.
But God list nat to granten his praiere,
But hym chastised, lik as ye shal heere.
and finally First his cite and his noble toun 764
him together Delyuered was, he knew no bet socour,
with all the xt j r j r i • •
treasure of the Vudcr a teyned tals composiciouw;
temple. Yqx at ther entryng, void off al fauour,
Kepyng no couenant, took al the tresour, 768
Withynwe the temple hauyng no pite.
But ladde it hom to Egipt ther contre.
Rehoboam was And to teherse, it is a gret[e] dool,
fool, and I'll How Roboam, as losephus doth declare, 772
dL ilThiT ^" Was inli proud and therwithal a fool,
folly. ^j^j qIP ^I wisdam destitut and bare,
Onmerciable his peeple for to spare,
Hatyng good counsail, and so in his folie 776
Regnyng a fool; and so I lete hym deie.
750. R begins again here. 758. With] And R.
761. Tauoide] Avoide R.
766. fals] om. R. 770. it] hym R — ther] that R.
771. a grete] to gret a H, R 3, so gret a H 5.
BK.
n]
An Envoy on foolish People
221
[Lenvoye.J
PHILISOPHRES concluden and deuise
In ther bookis off old* experience,
That counseiIot^r[e]s sad, expert & wise,
Trewe off ther woord, stable off ther sentence,
Hasti nor rakel for no violence,
Keepe & preserue, the trouthe I dar attame,
Noblesse off pryncis fro myscheeff & diffame.
Hasty* youthe and rancour in contrari wise,
Which han to will[e] al ther aduertence.
Except hemsilff all othir men despise
Thoruh ther onbridled furious insolence,
Nothyng aqueyntid with wisdam nor prudence,
Brynge ageynward, wherofF thei be to blame,
Noblesse of princis* in myschefF & difFame.
Kyng Roboam, ageyn riht and iustise,
To yonge foolis gaff feith & most credence,
Crueli his subiectis to chastise;
Which put his peeple from his benyuolence,
Drouh* ten kynredis from his obedience,
Which was to hym, be record, ful gret shame,
Puttyng his noblesse in myschefF & difFame.
Noble Prjmcis, doth wisli aduertise,
In preseruyng* ofF your magnyficence,
OfF olde expert nat blent with couetise
Taketh your counseil and doth hem reuerence,
Eyed as Argus in ther hih prouidence,
Which conserue be report ofF good name
Noblesse ofF pryncis from myscheefF & difFame.
Wise counsellors
preserve princes
from mischief.
780
784
but hasty
youth and ran-
cour bring them
to destruction.
788
yQ2 Kjd8 Reho-
boam, advised
by young fools,
treated his
subjects badly
and drove
them to re-
bellion.
796
Noble Princes,
take your
800 counsel of
old and expert
advisers, who
are not blinded
by covetout-
ness.
804
[A Chapitle/ descryuyng how prynces beyng hedis of
ther comountees sholde haue noble cheualrie true
luges &€* ther commounte to goueme &c*.]^ v\'hat is more
WHAT ertheli thyng is mor deceyuable, thTpomp^nd
Than ofF pryncis the pompe & veynglorie,* pr^c^?"'' ^
779. old] good B. 782. nor] ne R. 785. Hasty] Haste B, J, R 3.
786. have H. 787. all] & H. 789. nor] & H. 790 Br>nge] benyngne H.
791. Noblesse of princis] Piitt>-ng his noblesse B, P, J, H 5,
Putt>Tig ther noblesse H, Puttvng her noblesse R 3.
796. Drouh] Thoruh B, through P, Thrugh R 3, H 5.
800. preseruyiig] perseuer>'ng B. 801. expert] expertis R.
802. Take P. 803. as] of H — hih] om. H, R 3.
807, 9, 10. veyngloire, victoire, memoire B.
^ MS. J. leaf 41 recto.
222 A Chapter on good Government [j&k.. ii
Suddenly they Which wccne [to] stonde in ther estatis stable, 808
disappear, their \ ■> • i 11111 • •
^me clouded As thci the world hadde conquered be victorie —
shadow of ob- And sodenli be put out off memorie,
Ther fame cloudid, alias, and ther noblesse
With a dirk shadwe off foryetilnesse! 812
^ould'be the WherofF kom[e]th the famous cleer shynyng
glory of era- Off empcroures in ther consistories ? —
not for scholars Or whcrofF komth ther laude in reportyng,
histoHes?^ ^" SaufF that clerkis han wreten ther histories ? 816
Or where were now conquestis transitories,
Or ther tryumphes — wher sholde men hem fynde,
Ne had* writeris ther prowesse put in mynde?
of^'the^NiJe'"* Rekne up all, and first the worthy nyne, 820
Worthies rested In hih noblcsse which hadde neuer peeris:
on the labour r^^-t -i • i-i i 1*11 1
of the people, i her marcial actis, which cieerli dede shyne,
Ther fame vpborn aboue the* nyne speeris
With loude sownys ofF Famys clariouweris, 824
Ther glorious palmes, yifFthei be weel peised,*
Be low labour off comouws was first reised.
As a statue Mak a Hknesse off thes gret ymages [p. 99]
without feet CotiousH corue out be entaile, — 828
prince^may° Hed, atmys, bodi, and ther fressh visages,
ScTs""'^"* Withoute feet or leggis may nat vaile
To stonde vpriht; for needis thei mut faile.
And semblabli subiectis in comouwtees 832
Reise up the noblesse off pryncis in ther sees.
The head is set As hed and membres in ymages been o ston,
highest, as we ^~ , , , i i i
know, Uuther o stok, be cumpas ondeuyded.
And be proporciou^i ther feturis euerichon 836
Set in trewe ordre, as Nature hath prouided.
So that all errours thoruh crafft be circumcided:
The hed set hiest be custom, as men knowe,
The bodi amyd, the feet benethe lowe. 840
808. to] om. J, H 5, t)ei R 3 — ay in '^er statis R.
812. forgetfulnesse R.
819. Ne had] Nadde B.
823. the] all the B, J.
825. peised] preised B.
826. vpreisid H.
827. thes] the H. 830. avale R.
834. o]ofR,H.
835. o]ofR, H, R3,P.
838. thoruh] hi R, H, by R 3 — clrcumcided] circumcised R,
circuwiscisede R 3.
840. amyd] in myddis R.
BK.
n]
A Chapter on good Government
Mihti pryncis for ther hih renoun,
As most worthi shal ocupie the hed,
With wit, memorie* and eyen off resoun
To keepe ther membris fro myscheeflF & dreed,
Lik ther degrees take ofF hem good heed.
With cleer[e] forsiht off a prudent thouht
Ther feet preserue that thei erre nouht.
Ther mut been handis & armys off difFence,
Which shal this ymage manli keepe & guie
From alle assautis off foreyn violence,
Which shal be named noblesse off cheualrie —
Ther trewe office iustli to magnefie,
Sustene the chirch & make hemsiluen strong
To see that widwes nor maidnes ha[ue] no wrong.
Prudent iuges, as it is skele and riht,
To punshe wrong and surfetis to redresse,
In this ymage shal ocupie the siht:
For loue or hate, bi doom off rihtwisnesse,
For freend or fo his iugementis dresse.
So egali the lawes to susteene.
In ther werkis that noon errour be scene.
Mid this ymage there is a bodi set.
An agregat off peeplis and degrees.
Be parfit pes and vnyte I-knet
Bi thestatis that goueme comountees, —
As meires, prouostes & burgeis in citees,
Marchauntis also, which seeke sundri londis.
With othir crafftis which lyuen bi ther hondis.
And as a bodi which that stant in helthe
Feelith no greeff off no froward humours,
So eueri comoun contynueth in gret welthe.
Which is demened with prudent gouemours,
That can appese debatis and errours,
The peeple keepe from al contrauersie,
Causyng the[r] weelfare tencrece & multeplie.
223
and by its
foresight must
keep the other
members from
harm.
844
g .g There must also
be hands and
arms of defence.
8,2
prudent judges,
who are as
856 eyes.
860
864
a torso made
of officials,
burgesses and
merchants;
868
and as a body
in health
knows no dis-
comfort, to is a
country rich
p_ when governed
°72 by prudent
men who keep
the people in
peace.
842. hed] stede H.
843. memoire B. 844. ther] the R.
848. arrays & hondis R, H.
853. hemsiluen] hem ful R.
854. nor] & R. 862. In myddis R.
864. I-knet] knett R. *
866. Mayores P, mayr\'S H 5, Mairis H — prouestes R.
872. demened] demyd R. 874. to kepe R — countrouersye
R.
all men and
reprove vices;
224 A Chapter on good Government [bk. ii
Iisl'hTvl^ ™"stThis bodi must haue a soule off lifF 876
6oui of con- To quyke the membris with gostli mociouws,
' Which shal be maad off folk contemplatifF,
The cherche comwitted to ther pocessiouns,
Which bi ther hooli conuersaciouns 880
And good exau7nple[s] sholde as sterns shyne,
Be grace and vertu the peeple [tjenlumyne.
to whose care Vpon the Hht ofF thet condiciouns,
txlC CxlurCn IS
committed, and Off this bodi dependith the weelfare: 884
who should tell -r- • i i ^ ^• •
the truth to T or in thcr techyng and predicaciouws
Thei sholde trouthe to hih & low declare,
And in ther office for no dreed ne spare
Vices correcte, lich as thei ar holde, 888
Sithe thei been heerdis off Cristes folde.
and there must Folwyng vpon, off entent ful cleene,
be labourers to^,-''?'^, , ii-i
hold up and Laboreris, as ye han herd deuised,
sustain the r'l i i • i t i i
body as feet bhal this Dodi Dem up and susteene 89a
hSnesUabour As fcet and leggis, which may nat be despised;
ju^ifi°ed^ For trewe labour is iustli auctorised,
And ner the plouh vpholden be trauaile,
Off kynges, pryncis farweel al gouernaile. 896
Thus, if Thus first yiff pryncis gouerned been be riht,
prmces, knights, . , , i i i rr i i i r i
judges, bur- And knyhthod suttre the peeple to hatuej no wrong,
fnd^abourers And trouthe in iuges shewe out his cleer liht,
then ttm&y'' And feith in cites with loue be drawe a-long, 900
this"image^\ -^"^ hooH cherche in vertu be maad strong,
well wrought, ^nd in his labour the plouh ne feyne nouht, —
Thanwe be proporciouw this ymage is weel wrouht.
With King This mateer hool for texemplefie, 904
an example, Kyug Roboam fot fals* oppressioun
princes must Air i* 'irir i*
remember that And lor his wiitui troward tirannye
peotielor^the Loste a gtet patti off his regeoun;
ruiers?nlt °lht Wherfore, let pryncis considren off resoun, 908
oppressed. QqJ sette the peeple for lordis auauwtage,
And nat to been oppressid with seruage.
877. quykene R.
879. commyttith H.
881. sholde] holde R. 888. ar] er H.
889. owne folde R.
896. princis kyngis R, R 3 — al] the H.
898. to] om. R.
905. fals] a fals B, H, J, R 3, H 5, P — oppressioun] pr^-
sumpciown H.
BK. IlJ
The Story of Mucins Sccevola
225
Vpon sumwe pryncis Bochas doth compleyne, [p. lOo] Bocha$ aisap-
--, I I I proves oi
Duch as haue a custum and maneer
Ageyn ther subiectis ongoodli to disdeyne,
And off pride to shewe hem froward cheer;
Counseileth hem to remembre & ler,
As this chapitle doth fynali deuise,
First out off labour al lordshepe dede arise.
proves
912 princes who are
disdainful to
their subjects,
and counsels
them to remem-
ber that all
lordship first
arose out of
labour.
916
[How Mucyus Sceuola slouh an Innocent in stede of
Kyng Porcenna that leide siege to Rome.] ^
WHAN kyng Porcenna with his cheualrie
Ageyn Romeyns a werre first began,
The toun besegyng vpon ech partie
With gret puissaunce brouht out off Tuskan,
In the cite ther was a knyhtli man,
Mucius Sceuola, which caste in ther distresse
To breke the siege thoruh his hih prowesse. 924
Leet arme hymsilfF[e] cleene in plate & maile,
For comoun profit, tauauncen his corage
Kyng Porcenna proudli to assaile;
A tyme prouyded to his auauntage, 928
Thoruh the siege to maken his passage,
And fynali at his in-comyng
luparte his persone for to sle the kyng.
But Ilk as tellith Titus Lyuyus,
Wher Porcenna sat in his roial see,
This senatour, this manli Mucius,
Sauh a prynce off gret auctorite.
The kyng rasemblyng, clad [both] in o lyuere, 936
Atween discernyng no maner variaunce;
Slouh that prynce off veray ignoraunce.
But whan he knew[e] that he dede faile
To slen Porcenna, enmy to the toun.
And sauh he hadde lost al his trauaile,
He made a pitous lamentacioun.
Because he dede execucioun
Off ignoraunce, ageyn his owne entent, 944
To spare a tirant and slen an innocent.
916. As] And H, R.
920. toun] ton H. 931. luparte] lupardie R.
933. his]om. R. 935. Sauh] Sith R. 941. sauh]sithR.
^ MS. J. leaf 41 verso.
When the
Etruscans once
besieged Rome,
Mucius Scae-
920 vola determined
to pass through
the hostile
lines and slay
King Porsenna.
Q'12 Unfortunately
he mistook
another prince
for the king,
and killed him.
But when he
saw his blunder,
940 he cried out in
grief at having
slain an inno-
cent man
226 Mucins Scavola, Lucrece [^bk. ii
and soing^up For which hc was with hymsilfF ful wroth,
held his 'hand That hc was fouwdc SO necligcnt in deede,
in the flames ai'ii'i i r*i i
until it was And With his hand onto a hr he goth, 948
consume . Made it btenne briht as any gleede,
Bothe nerfF & bon and his flessh to sheede,
His hand consumyng on pecis heer & yonder,
And from his arm made it parte assonder. 952
For this deed And as the story declareth onto vs.
the Romans _., . , ■' , ,
ever afterward 1 his manli man, this noDle senatour,
Scxvoia. Afor tyme was calUd Mucius,
Which for the comoun dede many gret labour; 956
And for the vnkouth hasti fell rigour
Doon [vn]to hymsilfF, the Romeyns all,
Sceuola thei dede hym afFtir call.
which is to As moche to seyne be language off that lond — 960
without a hand.Who take atiht the exposicioun —
As a man which is withoute an bond.
And afftir hym bi successioun
Al his offspryng, that wer bor in the touw, 964
In remembraunce for tencrece his fame.
Off Sceuola bar afftir hym the name.
Such examples Bc this exauwplc and many a-nother mo,
shew what x/tt' i- i i
perils and suf- YiiT men list her corages to awake, 968
haTe^end^ured Thei sholde Seen what pereil & what wo
t°a"nta°gTaT "^' For comouw profit men haue* vndirtake,
BrntuT^'chased ^^ whilom Btutus fot Lucrecis sake
Tarquin^and all Chaced Tarquyn for his transgressioun 972
Rome. And kynges alle out off Rome toun.
Lucrece's story Touchyng Lucrece, exauwple off wifli trouthe,
is related by-jy ry-. i-rii'jj
Chaucer, who How yonge 1 atquyn hir taisii dede oppresse,
And afftir that, which was to gret a routhe, 976
How she hirsilff[e] slouh for heuynesse.
It nedith nat rehersyn the processe,
Sithe that Chaucer, cheeff poete off Bretayne,
Wrot off hir liff a legende souerayne. 980
told why the Rehersyng ther amongfesl other thynges
Romans exiled ^ , , -^ » 11 . "^ *=
their kings and Lch circumstauwcc and ech occasiouw:
se'rted Dtdo, '" Whi Romeyns exilid first ther kynges,
948. And] An R. 950. and] om. R. 957. hasti] om. R.
958. vnto]toH, J, R 3,H 5, P. 959. aftirdid hym R.
960. As meche to seye R. 968. Corag<r H.
970. haue] han B. 979. Sithe] Which R.
BK. Il]
The Story of Lucrece
211
Neuer to regnen afftir in ther toun, 984
As olde cronycles make mencioun,
Remembryng also thunkyndli gret outrage
Bi Eneas* doon to Dido off Cartage.
Eek othir stories which he wrot his lyue
Ful notabli with eueri circumstaunce,
And ther fatis dede pitousli descryue,
Lik as thei fill put hem in remembraunce,
Wherfore yifF I sholde my penne auaunce, 992
Afftir his makyng to putte hem in memorie,*
Men wolde deeme it presumpciouw & veynglorie.
as well as other
tales, notably
written. It
were presump-
tion for me to
tell them again,
For as a sterre in presence off the sunne
Lesith his fresshnesse and his cleer[e] liht,
So my reudnesse vnder skies dunne
Dareth ful lowe and hath lost his siht,
To be compared ageyn the bemys briht
Off this poete; wherfore it were but veyn
Thyng seid be hym to write it newe ageyn.
[p-
lOl] f°'' ^' ^ ^'*''
pales before
996 the sun, so
my unpolished
language can
stand no com-
parison to the
bright beams of
this poet.
[How Lucrece/ oppressid bi Tarquin slouh hirsilf.] ^
BUT at Lucrece stynte I will a while,
It were pite hir story for to hide,
Or slouthe the penne of my reud[e] stile,
But for hir sake alle materis set a-side.
Also my lord bad I sholde abide,
By good auys at leiser to translate
The doolful processe off hir pitous fate.
Folwyng the tracis off CoUucyus,
Which wrot off hir a declamaciouw
Most lamentable, most doolful, most pitous,
Wher he descryueth the dolerous tresoun
Off hir constreyned fals oppressioun,
Wrouht & compassid bi vnwar violence,
The liht ontroublid off hir cleer conscience.
Yet, after all, I
will pause at
Lucrece. It
would be a
1004 pity not to tell
her story, and,
besides, my
lord bade me
do it.
1008
So, following
CoUucius, I'll
describe how
she was taken
unawares and
outraged.
986. Remembre R. 987. Eneas] encres B, encrece J,
Encrece H, Encres H 5, encros R 3, Eneas R, Aenee P.
988. his] in his H. 991. fill] ful R. 992. Wheroff R.
993, 94. memoire, veyngloire B.
999. compared] compacid R. looi. be hym] beforn R.
1003. for] om. H.
1007. at] bi H. 1008. hir] his R.
1 MS. J. leaf 42 recto.
228 The Story of Lucrece [bk. ii
Her father was Hir fadcF whilom calHd Spurius, 1016
husband CoUa- Hit worthi husbondc named Collatyn,
Tarqub was WHIch bi thc luxuFC & trcsoun odious
deat""'* °^ ^^' And vicious outrage of Sextus, proud Tarqwin,
Oppressid was & brouht onto hir fyn. 1020
Whos dedii sorwe in Inglissh for to make.
Off pitous routhe my penne I feele quake.
Tarquin came This Said Tatquyn, this euel auised knyht,
thief in the This sclauwdrid man, most hatful for his deede, 1024
naied'lword in Cam Hch a thccfF, alas, vpon a nyht
his hand, With naked suerd, whan no man took non heede,
Vpon Lucrece, she quakyng in hir dreede,
Liggyng abedde ferr from hir folkes all, 1028
And knew no refuge for helpe for to call.
and said that He manacyng in his froward entent,
not yield to Ou hit beholdyug with a furious cheer,
fin'd'means°'to That with his suerd[e], but she wolde assent, 1033
S°namYfor- Hire and a boy he wolde prente ifeer,
*^'«'^- Such on as was most ougli off maner.
Most onlikli off persone and off fame:
Thus he hir thratte for to sclauwdre hir name. 1036
So there was But his entent[e] whan she dede feele,
N°xt^morainV And sauh no mene ageyn hir woful chauwce,
hu!ba°nd S The morwen afftir she list nothyng concele,
h?m' to^'d ""°* Tolde hir husbonde hooli the gouernauwce, 1040
vengeance, said Hym requeryng for to do vengaunce
Vpon this crym, saide lik a trewe wiff.
She wolde hir herte percen with a knyff.
In this mater this was hir fantasie: 1044
that she would Bet was to deie than to lyue in shame,
Hfe? il^hT^" And lasse wikke, to putte in iupartie
lesser evil. j^j^. mottal bodi than hir good[e] fame.
Whan honour deieth, farweel a manys name! 1048
Bet it were out off this liff disseuere.
Than sclaundrous fame to slen a man for euere.
1017. Cellatyne R.
1018. luxurie R, P, luxury H, R 3.
1033. prente] present R, R 3.
1039. morwenj morowe R, morow R 3, P, morn H, J, morwyn
1042. this] his H.
1045. Bettir R. 1046. wikke] wikkid was R.
1049. Bettir R.
BK. Il]
Tbf Story of Lucrece
229
But to that purpos hir husbonde seide nay,
Hir fader also was therto contrarie,*
Makyng a promys, withoute mor delay,
To do vengauwce how thei wil nat tarie.
To hir declaryng with resouns debonarie,
Vnder these woordis trouthe & riht conserued.
To slen hirsilfF she hath nothyng disserued :
[]" My dere Lucrece, tempeste the nat at al,
We knowe thy menyng and thy clene entent,
Thy vertu prevyd in especial,
Which yevith to vs a ful pleyn argument,
Vn-to thavoutour thow gaff nevir* assent.
And for a more singuleer ev^^dence,
Cryest eu^rre to punysshe his greet offence.
Lyst nat cese, but eu^re theron abydest.
And al counfort doost fro thy-sylff refuse;
Thyng that was secre, in covert thow nat hydest
But rygerously thavoutour doost accuse,
Wheer expert vertu thy renoun doth* excuse.
Thy wyffly trouthe can hern also witnesse
By deer repoort to vs of thy clennesse.
For in the eyen of folkys ferre and neer.
The glorye and honour of wyffly chastite
Hath to this day with bryghte beemys cleer
In thy persone enlvmyned this cyte.
For bothe in opyn and also in secre
The fame hath flouryd of thy chaast[e] name,
Fre fro thatwytyng of ony spot of blame.
We can our-sylff recordyn and expresse.
How thy delyght and thyn hertly plesaunce
Was to worshepe wyffly sobimesse.
And to werreye al chaunge and varyaunce,
Lyk a lantifrne set vp of constauwce.
Or lyk a merour, in eu<fry mannys syght,
Off good exaumple to yive al othir lyght.
But CoUatine
and her father
._.. said no, prom-
'^ ising to do
vengeance at
once.
1056
"My dear
Lucrece, do not
be troubled, we
know your
1060 virtue.
1064
"You cry out
on this offence
without com-
fort, you conceal
nothing from
us, you have
1068 always been a
model of wifely
propriety, we
^^72 know ourselves
that you are a
1076
lantern, a
mirror of con-
1080 "*°'=>-
1084
1052,54, 55. contraire, taire, debonaire B.
1055. resoun H. 1056. these] ther H.
1058. The following six stanzas are omitted in B, H, J, H 5, P.
The text is supplied from Harley ij66,fol. 102 recto.
1058. the] om. R.
1062. nevir] nevir thyn Harley 1766.
1069. doth] doost Harley 1766.
1077. hath] om. R.
1078. thatwytyng] the awaytyng R.
230
"Don't you
remember how
Tarquin and I
found you not
long ago vir-_
tuously occupied
amidst your
maidens,
making them
embroider in
soft wools,
without thought
of evil?
The Story of Lucrece
[bk. II
"You were
trapped like a
fowl in a snare,
and you think
your good name
is lost.
"But this is
impossible.
"We will be
avenged on
your wrong.
My trewe Lucrece, hastow nat in mynde,
Nat yoore agoon, in verray sekirnesse,
How thavoutour and I the did[e] fynde
Amyd thy women in vertuous besynesse
Occupyed, — a tokne of stedfastnesse,
Therby concludyng of trouthe and of resouw,
Modir of vertu is occupacyouw.
I fond the thanne, as I haue do ful ofFte,
Among thy maydenys besily sittyng,
To make hem werke vpon wollys sofFte,
In ther werkyng hem womanly cherysshyng.
On vicious lust ful smal was thy thynkyng;
Wherfore, thow shuldyst of resoun advertyse,
Tatempre thy dool in more tendir wyse:]
For sodenli and also onauised,
As a foul is trappid in a snare,
Be onwar fraude vpon the practised.
Thou were deceyued, pleynli to declare,
Hauyng this conceit, hard is to repare
The name off hem which falsli be difFamed,
Whan wrong report the[r] hih renoun hath shamed
Touchyng thi persone, I dar afFerme & seyn,
That it were a maner inpossible.
And lik a thyng which neuer yit was seyn,
That thi worshepe was fouwde coruptible,
But stedfast ay and indyuysible,
Ondepartid in vertu and maad strong.
And now desirous tauenge thi pitous wrong.
On thyn iniurie we shal auengid be,
Considred first the dedli heuynesse
Which thou suffredist bi gret aduersite.
Whan thauoutour thi* beute dede oppresse,
And reioishyng bi a fals gladnesse,
Maugre thi will[e], as a theefF be nyht
The encouwbred off veray force & myht.
1088
1092
1096
1 104
1 108
1116
1091. 2nd of3 om. R.
1092. of] and Harley 1766.
1096. hem womanly] womanly hem R.
1 100. also] al H. 1104. is] it is R.
1 106. ther] the J, H, R 3, H S, P.
1 1 13. now] not H.
1 1 14. shal] shullen R.
1 1 17. thi] thei B.
BK. Il]
The Story of Lucrece
231
But yifF thou woldist leue al thi moomyng [p.
And restreyne thyn Inportable wo,
Thou sholdist seen so egal a punshyng
Vpon thi moste froward mortal fo,
To wame alle othre, thei shal no mor do so,
In chastisyng ofF fals auoutrie,
The and thi renoun off riht to magnefie.
What was difFacyng to thi trewe entent,
Thouh his youthe onbridled wente at large,
So for tafForce a celi innocent ?
Whos wikkednesse ouhte to here the charge,
And we off riht thi conscience discharge.
The ioie onleefFul off his fals plesaunce,
With double palme thyn honour doth auauwce.
Conceyue and see, o thou my Lucrece,
How that resoun and good discrecioun
Sholde thi trouble & thi moumyng cese.
Off riht restreyne thyn opynyoun.
So reklesli to do punycioun.
With knyf on honde to slen thisilff, alas!
For othres gilt, and dedist no trespas.
Lat be, Lucrece, lat been al thi dool,
Cese thi compleynt & thi wo restreyne.
Sholde I fro the lyue alone al sool,
And thi deth perpetueli compleyne t
To putte thi fader in inportable peyne, —
Off our weelfare be nat so rek[e]les.
To deie and leue our childre moodirles.
Off prudence eek thou ouhtest for to see
And aduertise onli off resoun,
Thouh off force thi bodi corupt be,
Thi soule inward and thyn entencioun
Fraunchised been from al corupcioun.
Offens is noon, considre in thyn entent,
But will and herte yiue therto ful consent.
Thou were nakid in thi bed liggyng,
Alone, onwar, slepyng and void off myht,
Suspeciounles al off his comyng.
J 02] "Only restrain
" your sorrow
and you will
sec exemplary
punishment
dealt to your
^1-4 enemy, as a
warning to all
other*.
1 1 28 "His unbridled
youth did not
prejudice your
honesty;
I132
reason and dis-
cretion both
1 136 demand that
you should not
sacrifice year
life for an-
other's gilt.
1 140
"Lay aside
your sorrow,
Lucrece, and do
not be so reck-
II44 !ess of our
welfare!
1 148
"Your soul is
free from all
corruption;
1 1 56
It IS not sur-
prising that a
weak woman
should be over-
come by a
strong man.
1 122. Importable H.
1131, ouhte to] of riht ouht R. 1132. off riht] also R.
1 133. fals] hertly R. 1140. on] in R.
1 142. thi] this R. 1 144. al] and R. 1146. importable H.
1151. corruptidH. 1158. al]as H, H5, R 3— Suspiciousles P.
232
The Story of Lucrece
[bk. II
" Yet I know
that for all his
strength he
never could
compel your
heart to yield.
"What is more
praiseworthy
than the con-
trast between
his fraud and
your constancy?
" We know well
that the tyrant
found you more
like an image
of stone than a
being of flesh
and blood.
"Your father
and I have
both excused
you, so do not
think of killing
yourself.
"If you do, it
will seem to
some that you
were guilty;
I160
I164
That tyme namli, because that it was nyht.
A feerful woman, and he an hardi knyht,
Al-be-it so onknyhtli was his deede,
With nakid suerd tassaile thi womanheede. .
He myhte thi bodi be force weel oppresse
Be sleihti weies that he hadde souht;
But weel wot I, for al his sturdynesse,
He myhte neuer ha[ue] maistri off thi thouht.
The bodi yolde, the herte yald hym nouht.
Ye wer[en] tweyne, thou feeble & he riht strong, 1168
Thi trouthe afForced, he werkere off the wrong.
Where myhtistou ha[ue] grettere price or laude,
Al riht considred, trouthe and equite:
First couMtirpeised his force & sleihti fraude,
Thanne to perseuere in femynyte
With thouht onchauwgid, & in fragilite
Off womanheed to haue an herte stable, — •
What thyng in the myht be mor comendable ?
It is weel knowe thou were off herte ay oon.
To all fals lustis contraire in gouernaunce,
Mor lik an ymage korue out off a ston.
Than lik a woman flesshli off plesaunce
The tirant fond the in cheer & contenaunce.
Which euer afftir be womanli victorie*
Shal be ascryued to thyn encres off glorie.
Thi fadir Brutus hath the weel excusid,
Misilff also, thi blood & thi kynreede, —
On this mater lat no mor be musid.
To sle thisilff or do thi sidis bleede,
Certis, Lucrece, thou hast ful litil neede;
It were gret wrong be al our iugement
To spare a tirant and slen an innocent.
Thi-silff to moordre, to sumwe it wolde seeme
Thou were gilti, wher-as thou art cleene.
Dyuers wittis dyuersli wolde* deeme,
Reporte thyng thou neuer* dedist meene.
For which thou shalt pacientli susteene,
1 160. feerdful R. 1164. out souht R.
1 165. sturdynesse] worthynesse H.
1 169. Thi]TheR — he]ofR.
1174. &] om. R — fragilige R. 1182,83. victoire, gloire B.
1 186. this] thi H — mor] man H.
1 193. wolde] will B, R 3, wil J, P, wyl H 5.
1 194. And reporte R — thou neuer] that thou neu^r R —
neuer] non B, J, none P (which thou noon did meen R 3).
1172
1176
1 180
1 184
1192
BK. Il]
Lucrece's Answer to her Husband
233
Till thi chast[e] wiffli innocence 1196
May seen hym punshed for his violence.
Folk wil nat deeme a persone innocent,
Which wilfulli, whan he is nat coupable,
Yildith hymselfF to deth be iugement,
And neuer afFom was off no gilt partable.
His owne doom, vpon hymsilfF vengable,
Causeth the peeple, thouh ther report be nouht.
To deeme a thyng that neuer was doon nor thouht. 1204
for folk will not
hold a person
innocent who
wilfully yields
1200 himself to
death;
To been auengid vpon thyn owne lifF,
In excusyng off thi dedli diffame,
To shewe thou art a trewe parfit wifF,
Wenyng be deth to gete the a name, — 1208
In this deuys thou art gretli to blame,
Wher thou yit knowest thyn honour cleerli shyne,
To yiue the peeple mater to deuyne."
^ And with that woord Lucrece dede abraide,
Ful dedli pale bothe ofF look and cheer.
To them ageyn, euene thus she saide:
" Lat be, husbonde, lat be, my fader deer,
Spekith no mor to me off this mateer.
List men dempte, in hyndryng off my name,
I dradde deth mor than fals difFame.
[p. 10"^] ^'^^ '' y°" '^''^
'•'^* ^ this you w
you would
be greatly to
blame."
12 12 ^'th that word
Lucrece an-
swered," Let be,
my husband
and my father.
1216
Your counsail is, I shal my lifF conserue
To sorwe and sclaundre, but to no gladnesse;
But lasse wikke is at an hour to sterue
Than euer langwisshe in sorwe & heuynesse.
Deth maketh an eende off al worldli distresse;
And it was said sithe[n] ful yore ago.
Bet is to deie than euer to lyue in wo.
Whan that worshepe in any creature
Is slayn and ded be sclaund[e]rous report.
Bet is off deth the dreedful peyne endure.
Than be fals noise ay luye in disconfort,
Wher newe & newe difFame hath his resort.
"Your counsel
is that I shall
1220 li^"e in sorrow;
but it is less
wrong to die
than ever to
languish in woe.
1224
1228
"When honour
is (Iain, it is
better to endure
death.
1204. nor] no R.
1218. deth mor3 more deth R. 1219. my lifi" I shal H.
1221. wikkyd R.
1224. said] ow. R — sithen] sithe J, P, sythen H 5 — yore]
longe R 3, yeere H 5.
1225, 28. Bettir R. 1229. discomfort H.
1230. difFame] fame R, H.
234 Lucrece's Answer to her Husband [|bk. il
Neuer deieth, but queklth be thoutrage
Off hatful tuwges & venymous language. 1232
"Do your best Doth youf dcucF to halwc & make stable
wifely chastity The chast[e] chauwbres off wifli gouernaunce;
geance on the FoF in this cas yiff yc be variable
adulterer. q^ £^|g auouto foF to do vcngauwce, 1236
Ther shal folwe euerlastyng remembrauwce,
How trewe spousaile, as ye han herd deuysed,
In your cite was broke and nat chastised.
"If you are Yiff ye be founde in such cas necligent 1240
found neghgent, t-. i m 't • i
licentiousness io punysshe auoutouts, Oil Tiht as is your charge,
bridied"at"iarge- Thotuh your slouthe, as ye were off assent,
Luxure onbridled shal renne abrod at large.
Who shal thanne your conscience discharge, 1244
Or what woman stonde in sekirnesse,
Off Lucrece afforced the clennesse ?
"What joy O deere husbonde, what ioie sholde it be
would you _, , . '
have, dear hus- lo thyn cstat, m ony maner place, 1248
me after Tar- Lich as thi wiff [fot] to chcrisshc me,
wime'f °'^" Or in thyn armys me goodli to enbrace,
The gilt horrible considred and trespace
Be Tarquyn doon — alas and welaway! — 1252
Which in my persone may neuer be wasshe away?
"And, my And fader myn, how sholdestou me calle,
father, how can «rr'i-ii ii i
you call me Aittir this day, thyn owne douhter deere,
this day?* " Which am, alas, refus off women alle, 1256
That to thi plesaunce was whilom most enteere,
Withynne thi hous whan I dede lere,
Bi cleer exauwple off manyfold doctryne,
Al that partened to vertuous disciplyne? 1260
"Having lost Which I haue lost now in my daies olde,
my virtue, I _^. . , . -^
dare not even Discspeircd it to tccurc ageyn.
chiidrenf'^ °^° Myn owne childre, I dar hem nat beholde,
Because the wombe in which that thei ha[ue] leyn 1264
Diffouled is and poUut in certeyn.
Which was toforn in chastite conserued.
Chastisith thauoutour, as he hath disserued!
1 241. avoutrers R.
1243. Luxury H, R 3, Luxurie P — renne abrod] goone aboute
R, ryn about R 3.
1245. schall stonde R. 1249. for] om. J.
1258. thi] thyne R, thyn H, R 3, H 5. 1262. Dlspeired R.
1264. the] that the R — haue] om. R. 1265. pollutid H.
BK.
n]
Lucrece^s Answer to her Father
And for my part to speke in woordes fewe,
Lenger to lyue I ha[ue] no fantasie;
For wher sholde I out my face shewe,
Or dore appeere in any cumpanye,
Sithe a dirk spotte off fals auoutrie
Shal euer encrece*, wher it be fals or trewe,
Into myn hyndryng the sclaundre to renewe ?
Lust afforcid hath a fals appetit,
Of freelte includid* in Nature;
Maugre the will, ther folweth a delit,
As summe folk seyn, in eueri creature.
Good fame lost, ful hard is to recure;
And sithe I may myn harmys nat redresse,
To you in open my gilt I will confesse.
Al-be I was ageyn my will oppressid,
Ther was a maner constreyned lust in deede,
Which for noun power myht nat be redressid,
For febilnesse I stood in so gret dreede.
For which offence deth shal be my meede,
Sith leuer I haue with sum egge tool
To sle mysilff, than lyue in sclaundre & dool.
O fader myn, spare and ha[ue] pite!
And deere husbonde, rewe on myn offence!
Goddis & goddessis callid off chastite,
To my trespace graunteth an indulgence;
For off my gilt to make a recompence,
Wher that Venus gat in me auauntage,
Deth shal redresse & chastise myn outrage.
For yiff I sholde make a delay
To perce my brest bi sharpnesse off a knyff.
Men wolde deeme and sey fro day to day,
To make my sclaundre mor open & mor ryff.
How that I was mor tendir off my lyff 1300
Than off my worshep, which wer to gret a shame, —
To loue my liff mor than my good[e] name!
1270. out my face3 my face out R.
1273. euer encrece] euermore B, eu^rmore J — wher] whedir H.
1274. renewe] remewe H.
1276. includid] indudyng R, concludid hoolly H, encludid
hooly R 3, the word includid is repeaUd in B, J, H 5.
1281. my gilt in open R. 1282. Al-be] Also R.
1283. Ther] the H. 1284. noun] no R.
1287. Sith] And R. 1290. deere] trew H,
1291. callid] om. R. 1297. a] om. H.
235
1268 "^'°r have I
the desire to
live longer:
defouled, I dare
not appear in
any company.
1272
"Lust afforced
has a false ap-
1276 petite, delight
follows, even
though it be
against the
wiU;
1280
and as such
was my experi-
ence, I would
rather kill my-
1284 sdf with some
edged weapon
than live in
disgrace.
1288
[p. 104] "T>« S°<Js and
' ' goddesses of
chastity grant
this indulgence,
that death may
redress my
1292 wrong-doing.
1296 "I^ I 4f'*>'/. ,
men will thmlc
that I loved
life more than
my good name.
236 The Death of Lucrece {j&k. ii
"No witness is In this matecr no witnesse is so good,
so good as rri 1 r 1
blood shed with lo puttc a-way ai rals suspeciouw, 1304
a knife. ^^ W\t\\ a knyfF to sheede myn herte blood :
I myht nat make a bet purgacioun
To alle folk that ha[ue] discrecioun,
Than fynali be my deth texcuse 1308
The gilt horible, off which men me accuse.
"Go forth, my Go fooFth my soule, peur & inmortal,
soul, before the _,, „r i • rr
judges infernal, Cheerr[e] witnessc ott myn mnocence,
who will decide »-r. r i • i • i i • r l
that my con- 1 otor tho mgcs which be mternal: 1312
science was ^'ust Mynos, kyng, to deeme my conscience,
With Radamanthus to yeuen a sentence
Lik my desert, that it may be seene,
In wifli trouthe how that I was cleene. 1316
and let my Thou cttheli body, which thoruh thi fairnesse
blood stir and __, • r ^
excite the Were to auoutri lul gret occasiouw,
aiTking^for' ^ Off thi blood sheede out the red[e]nesse,
Tarquin's sake. ^^^ ^^ ^j^j ^jj^^ j^^^ J^ ^.^Jj^ ^J^^^. ^^^^
Stere and excite the peeple off this toun
To doon ther deuer, withynwe a litil while,
For loue off Tarquyn, alle kynges to exile.
"Do not delay And fitst I ptaic, myn husbonde most enteer^, 1324
geance." Off this vengauwcc to make no delay;
With helpe & socour off my fader deer^
To punysshe thauoutour, in al the haste ye may;
Let hym take his wages and his pay, 1328
Lik as ye seen, and pleynli now conceyue.
For his offence the deth I do receyue."
And suddenly. And sodcnli, or thei myhte aduerte,
kneT what she She took 2L knyff, and with gret violence, 1332
r"k aTnife'and Thotuh the btest, cucne onto the herte
Ei"rf ind" She made it glide, — ther was no resistence.
if thei^"feft"'^ Ful pale and ded fill doun in ther presence.
And bi occasiouw* off this pitous deede, 1336
Tarquyn exilid, and hooli his kenreede.
1306. myht] may R — bet] bettir R.
1308. Than] & H — texcuse] excuse R.
1309. accuse] excuse R.
13 10. peur] pore R — &] & and R — Immortall H.
1312. tho] the R, H, R 3. 1319. thi] the H.
1326. &] om. R.
1328. pay] play R, pray H.
J330. do] now R.
1336. bi occasioun] boccasioun B, bi the occasion R.
BK. ii] The Story of Appius and Virginia 237
For which[e] cause, be record off writyng, S'Jre wL"^^^
Was ther neuer in Rome the cite, ^^" * ■''^s "»
, ' Rome.
AiFtir that day no man crownyd kyng, 1340
As in cronycles ye may beholde and see.
Thus for luxur[y]e and ther cruelte,
Ther tirannye and fals extorsioun,
Thei wer exilid out off Rome toun. 1344
[How Rome aftir was gouemed and virginea bi hir
fadir slaynj ^
GOUERNED afFtir bi other officeres, ^me '^a*
As is remembred in Titus Lyuyus, goranta by
Callid decemvir of dyuers cronycleres; a^^^'"hom
Among[es] which ther was on Appius, 1348 r«e/for"hii
A iuge ontrewe, proud and luxurious, dishonesty.
Which thoruh the cite, the story berth witnesse,
Behatid was for his gret falsnesse.
And onys it fill, as he caste his look 1352 He once saw a
Vpon a maide most inli fair off siht, daughter of
A fals desir withynne his herte he took wh^'he °
Hir to disuse, ageyn al skele and riht. SSbn. ^*' '
And she was doubter to a worthi knyht, 1356
Ful manli founde in his deedis all,
And Virginius the Romeyns dede hym call.
Whos goodli doubter, the story doth us lere, Her name was
Was afftir hym for his noble fame 1360 ^'^^'
Virginia callid, most goodli & enteere;
And for this cause she bar the same name.
But Appius ful gretli was to blame.
Which hath conspired thoruh his gret falsnesse, 1364
YifF that he myhte hir beute to oppresse.
This iuge ontrewe bothe in thouht and deede, tt^'s dishonest
Off lawe onrihtful souhte out occasioun; ier^""at-!aw
Made a sergeant off his to proceede, 1368 IgaL'^^r on a
Ageyn this maide to take an accioun, ^^"^ '^*'^'
Qeymed hir his seruant bi fals collusioun.
And this was doon be Appius off entent
That he on hir myht yiue a iugement. 1372
1346. in] bi H, by R 3.
1366. and] in R. 1368. to] go R.
1369. maide] raateer R. 1370. Cleymed] Clevm H.
1372. on]ofH.
^ MS. J. leaf 43 verso.
238 Jppius* Disgrace and Death [bk. il
mighffind op- And be this mene, in his fals delit, [p. 105]
portunky to Thouhtc hc mvhte hir beute best disuse,
accomplish bis i- i i • n i i- •
desire. So fof taccomphsshe his flesshh appetit,
She beyng feeble thaccioun to refuse. 1376
Wherupon hir fader gan to muse,
Fulli conceyued off Appius the maner,
In hir difFence wrouhte as ye shal heer.
hi"d^fd'eT Whan Appius hadde youe his iugement 1380
her'fathertook ^geyn this maide, which aforn hym stood,
her to one side Hir manli fadir, most knyhtU off entent,
and stabbed ill- j
her to the 1 ooK hir appatt, as he thouhte it good,
And with a knyfF shadde hir herte blood: 1384
Dempte it bettre to slen hir in clennesse,
Than the tirant hir beute sholde oppresse.
wfs pre\Mved. Thus hool conserued was hir chastite*
And ondefoulid was hir maydenheede; 1388
For Virginius to keepe hir honeste
Spared no thyng to make hir sides bleede.
But Appius for this horible deede,
And decemvir, thoruh this onhappi chau«ce, 1392
Hadde in that cite neuer afftir gouernaunce.
pr^finMr '° ^ As the story maketh also mencioun,
there slew him- Appius, ashamcd off this deede,
Slouh hymsilfF[e] fetrid in prisouw: 1396
Off a fals iuge, loo heer the fynal meede!
And tho tribuni in Rome gan succeede,
Twen riht & wrong treuli to discerne,
And Romayn lawes iustli to gouerne. 1400
lay'b^e'over- Men may heer seen as in a merour cleer,
menrwh'o^a^r' Estatis chauwgid for ther gret offencis;
sometimes or- And bc sum poote pcrsouc synguleer
darned by God _^ . \ ^^ ^ r
to chastise the Fryucis put doun ttom ther magnyhcencis, 1404
Which nat considre in ther gret excellencis,
How God ordeyneth his yerde [in] sundri wise.
The poore sumwhile the pompous to chastise.
1379. hir]] his H.
1383. it] it was R. 1384. shadde] he shad H.
1387. chastite] virgynyte B, J, R.
1389. honeste] virgynyte H. 1391. this] his R, thi H.
1392. thoruh this] for his H. 1395- this] his R.
1398. Tribunes H — began to R. 1399. Betwene R.
1402. offence R. 1404. magnyficence R.
1405. excellence R.
1406. ordeynyd H, ordeyned R 3 — in]om. H, H 5.
1407. sumwhile] sumtyme R
BK. Il]
Princes f do no Wrong to the Poor.
239
^ Heeron to shewe exaumple anon riht,
Markid in story for a notable thyng,
Pausanias, off Grece a manli knyht,
Off Macedonye slouh Phelipp the kyng
At a table where he was sittyng
Tween Alisandre and Olimpiades,
His wrong tauengen, amyddis al the pres.
9 Eek Salmator, a knyht off low degre,
For wronges doon in especiall,
Off manli force groundid on equite
Slouh off Cartage the prynce Hastruball,
Which brother was onto Due Hanyball,
Beside a ryuer, as thei mette in bataile,
Callid Metaure, which renneth in Ytaile.
Wherfore, ye Pryncis, yiff ye list longe endure,
Beth riht weel war, be ye neuer so strong,
In your lordshepis nat to moche assure
Off surquedie the poraile to do wrong.
In your discrecioun conceyuyng euer a-mong,
Grettest dreed is, that may your staat assaile.
Whan subieccioun doth in the peeple faile.
I40S *? ^''s Pausa-
nias, who slew
Philip of Mace-
doD,
I412
and Salmator,
who killed
14 16 Hasdrubal of
Carthage at the
River
Metaurus.
1420
Wherefore,
Princes, if you
would live long,
do no wrong
1424 to the poor.
1438
^ Lenvoy.
THIS tragedie declareth in partie.
What myscheef folweth of extorsioun,
Eek off spousbrech and of auoutrie
Be Tarquyn doon thoruh fals oppressioun
Onto Lucrece withynne Rome tou?: ;
Kynges exiled for such mysgouemaile
And fals outrages doon to the poraile.
Eek Appius, off wilful tirannye,
Ageyn Virginia took an accioun,
Thoruh a fals lust off froward lecherie,
Blent and fordirked his memorie* & resoun.
Which was cheeff cause and occasioun
Whi thestat off dishomme dede faile,
Thoruh fals outrages doon to the poraile.
This tragedy
shews the mis-
chief that fol-
lows extortion
and adultery.
1432
1AX6 tyranny and
^■^ false luit.
1440
I4IO.
1413-
1427.
1439-
1441.
Hi,
Pausamyas R — a] a ful R — manli] notable H.
Betwene R. 1414. in myddis R. 1422. ye] om. R.
statis R. 1428. doth] don H. 1432. thoruh] bi R.
memoire B.
dishomme] dishome R, H, thi Name (Na in later band)
decemvir R 3, Decemuir P.
240 Jeroboam, King of Israel [bk. ii
oum 'm done ^^^S PHclipp lostc sccptrc and regalie
to the poor. Off Maccdonye the famous regeoun, 1444
Onwarli slay[e]n, myd his cheualrie
Sittyng at mete withynwe his cheefF dongouw.
And grettest cause off his fallyng doun,
Was whan Fortune his pride dede assaile 1448
For fals outrages doon to the poraile.
Even Duke Duk Hasttubal, whom bokis magnefie
Hasdrubal, for _, r i • i -i
all his renown, Vp to the hcuenc lOt his hih renouw,
was slain by a xtti ■, , i i •
servant. Whos ttyuTTzphes tauht up to the skie, 1452
And hadde al Cartage in his subiecciouw, —
Yit was he slayn onwarH be tresouw,
Be a seruant; loo, what doth* disauaile
Treson purposid aforn in the poraile! 1456
Noble Princes, Noble Pryncis, your resoun doth applie, [p. 106]
people pru- Whiche ouet the peeple ha[ue] dominaciouw,
dently; for p i i- i i •
nothing can oo prudentH to goucme hem and guie,
thlt thtT^°^^ That loue and dreed be trewe affecciouw 1460
s^ct of the Preserue ther hertis from fals rebellioun,
poor.
Sithe to your hihnesse nothyng may mor preuaile
Than trewe subiecciouw expert in the poraile.
[How leroboam Kyng of Israel for Idolatrie and
disobedience cam to mischeues ende.] ^
Of six kings "VTEXT these stories, in Bochas as I fynde, 1464
who next ap- I ^1 ,-p,, , , , .
peared to JL ^ 1 her dede appeere onto his presence
bMm^pokeTrst, Kywges sexe, hym praieng to ha[ue] mynde
Vpon ther fall be onwar violence
From ther estatis off roial excellence. 1468
And toforn alle, I fynde, that ther cam
Off al Israel kyng leroboam.
declaring his Onto myn auctout he began* declare
fall with a pale tt- i ii- i • i ^ r
face. His dedli compleynt with a pale race, 1473
His gret myscheuys and his euel fare,
And how he fill doun from his kyngli place
Thoruh gret onhappis, which dede his h^frte enbrace,
1448. Was] om. R.
1449. outrage R. 1451,52. Vp to] vnto R.
1455. doth] it doth B, H, J, R 3, H 5, P — auaile P.
1461. ther] your R — fals] al R. 1462. nothyng may]
may no thyng R.
1471. began] began to B, H, J, R 3, H 5, P.
1472. fale] (u\ pale R. 1475. happis R.
1 MS. J. leaf 44 recto.
BK. Il]
Jerohoam and Jadan the Prophet
241
And, as this story pleynli hath deuysed.
For his offends how he was chastised.
An ydolatre* he was, as it is told,
Reised up auteres, off veray force & myht,
Set therupon too calueren of peur gold,
Dede hem worshepe, ageyn al skele & riht,
Gaff euel exaumple in the peeplis siht.
Whan he dede with fumys and encens
To fals ydoles ondeu reuerens.
Fro the temple he made the peeple gon,
Preestis ordeyned afftir his owne guise.
Forsook the tribe off Leuy and Aaron,
And vpon Bethel his offryng gan deuise.
And whil he dede onleefful sacrefise,
God, that weel knew off hym the fals entent,
Fro Jerusalem a prophete to hym sent.
Which hym rebuked off his mysgouemaunce.
And gan the pereiles to hym specefie;
Told hym afom[e], for to do vengaunce
Off Dauid[s] kyn ther sholde come on losie,
Which sholde his preestis, that falsli coude lie,
Manli destroie, and slen hem alle attonys
And into asshes brenne hem flessh and bonys.
And in tokne off ther destruccioun.
The prophete told among hem all.
How his auteris sholde bowe doun.
And his ydoles from ther stage fall.
Whom that foolis ther goddis falsli call.
Which ha[ue] no power to helpe in no manere.
For thei may nouther feele, see nor heere.
Afftir this prophete, ladan, hadde told
These said[e] signes pleynli to the kyng,
His auter fill on pecis manyfold,
1476
1480
1484
1488
He was an
idolater, who
set up two
golden calves,
and ordained
priests in his
own fashion.
1492
1496
God sent a
prophet,
Jadan, to re-
buke him, say-
ing that his
priests would
be destroyed by
Joshua,
and that hit
idols, called
1500 gods by fools,
would be over-
thrown.
1504
After Jadan
had finished
speaking, the
altar fdl to
pieces.
i=;o8
1476. this] his R. 1477, offence H. 1478. ydolastre B.
1479. auteres] Aucttxes H.
1480. Ther vpon sett R — too] om. H — caluys R, calves R 3,
calues P — peur] cleen H.
1483. he] that he H. 1489. whil] whan R.
1493. hi gan R. 1495. Dauyd H, R 3, H s.
1502. stages R.
1505. nouther feele see nor] neither se feele ne heer R — feele
see] see fele H, P, R 3 — nouther] not R 3.
1506. Afftir] Aftir l)at H. 1508. auteris fyUen R.
242 Jeroboam and Jadan |^bk. il
And ouerturned bakward his ofFryng;
For which the kyng, furiousli lokyng,
Put foorth his hand, the story maketh mynde,
Bad his men the prophete take and bynde. 1512
The king was And ES he his arm rauht out on lengthe,
furious, and, tt i i • • i i
stretching out Hadde no power it to withdrawe ageyn,
jldairto"^^ Wex onweeldi, contract and lost his strengthe.
bound*"But And whan the kyng hath these toknys seyn, 1516
Irm dmd^up, -^"d how the prophete spak no woord in veyn,
Gretli astonyd, koude sey no more,
But prai[e]de ladan his arm for to restore.
and only by And bc his praier and mediacioun, 1520
Jadan's prayer ^ ^p , . " rr^. ^,.
was it restored. Oft his arm, aittir this vengauwce,
Ther was anon maad restituciouw,
And off his peyne feelith alegauwce.
. For which the kyng, with ful gret instauwce, 1524
Requered hym to be so gracious,
That day tabide and dynen in his hous.
The king then But the ptophete wolde nat assente,
w^dine with Nouther with hym to ete nor to drynke; 1528
jLdan refused Took his asse, and foorth anon he wente,
and went away, q^ whose dcpattyng the kyng gan sore thynke.
And fantasies gan in his herte synke,
Speciali whan he taketh heede 1532
OfF all his toknys, how thei were trewe in deede.
God had com- God bad ladan in this gret emprise
neither to'^t To leroboam first whan he was sent,
tlTt'^clt'y. "" Ete nor drynke, in no maner wise, 1536
In that cite whil he was present;
But a-nother prophete off entent,
Ful old and slyh, on the tother side,
Compellid hath this ladan to abide. 1540
But one of Hym afForcyng be fals coUusiouw [p. 107]
Jeroboam's _,-' ^ * ...U V
false prophets To resorte ageyn to* the cite,
K^bfy^"" And to make no contradiccioun
Sndm'eX With hym to dyne off fraternyte, iS44
To hym afFermyng, it may non other be:
1519. for] om. R. 1524. ful] ow. H. 1525. Requeryng H.
1528. nor to drynke] nelthir drynke R.
1534. ladan] lason R. 1535. leroboam] Jerusalem R.
1536. nor] neithir R. 1537. while that R.
1538. But yit R. 1539. on the tother] vpon that oter R.
1542. to] onto B, J — the] that R.
BK. Il]
The Punishment of Jadan
For God sent hym as to his freend and brother,
Tabide with hym & pleynli with non other,
Off freendliheed and trewe alFeccioun
Withynne his hous to shewen his presence.
For a repast and a refeccioun:
This Godis will and fulli his sentence.
To whos woordis the prophete gafF credence.
And as thei sat at dyner bothe ifeere,
God onto ladan seide in this manere:
" For the brekyng off my comauwdement,
Thi grete offence and transgressioun, 1556
That thou hast been so wilful necligent,
Thou shalt endure this punycioun,
Been* al to-torn and rent off a leoun,
And in thi cuntre thou shalt nat recure, 1560
With prophetis to haue thi sepulture."
OfFwhich[e] tithyng, this ladan nothyng fayn,
Gan to departe with a ful heuy thouht:
Off a leoun myd off the weye slayn;
But his asse harmyd was riht nouht.
A ful gret merueile, yifF it be weel souht.
The leouw sittynge as in ther difFence,
And kept hem bothe from al violence. 1568
Alle these toknys myht[e] nat conuerte
leroboam from* his iniquite;
Godis warnyng hym list nat to aduerte.
Nor be his prophete correctid for to be. 1572
Wherfore, God wolde that he sholde see
Vengaunce folwe, as it fill in deede,
Bothe vpon hym and [on] his kynreede.
A sone he hadde, which fill in gret siknesse, 1576
Callid Abimen, the book doth specefie;
For which the kyng bad the queen hir dresse,
To gon disguised, withoute cumpanye,
Onto a prophete* which callid was Achye, 1580
Hym to requere, treuli for to seye
Whethir the child sholde lyue or deye.
1551. This is R. 1554. in] on H. 1559. Been] Bien B.
1562. tydyngis R. 1563. Began R — fuQom. R.
1564. myd] m the myddis R. 1570. from] for B.
1574. as] riht as R.
1575. on] also on R, om. H, J, R 3, H 5, P.
1580. a] the H — On taprophete B — was] is H — Ahye P.
1552
243
1548 *°*^ while they
sat at meat
together, God
said to Jadan,
"For breaking
my command-
ment, thou
shalt be slain
by a lion and
never return (o
thy country."
Jadan was not
pleased to hear
this, but never-
theless it came
1504 to pass.
and Jeroboam
continued in
hit iniquity.
His son Abijah
feU ill, and he
bade the queen
go disguised to
the prophet
Ahijah for ad-
244 ^0^ threatens Jeroboam's Wife ^bk. ii
But God And in his inward sihte contemplatifF,
shewed Ahijah y^ i i -t i i • i • •
that it was Cjod shcwcd hym bi cleer inspeccioun, 1584
wife who came Off Icroboam how she was the wifF,
to him, Yqx al hir sleihti transformaciouw.
For nouther fallas nor fals decepcioun
May be to God, but it be parceyued; 1588
For he nys prophetis may nat be deceyued.
and he told her She Cam to hym in a strauwge weede;
Jeroboam, that At thcntryng he callid hir bi hir name:
raised him ^ " Com foorth," quod he, " for it is no neede 1592
!o°T king,''''" To hide thi-silfF[e], as it were for shame;
For the trouthe treuli to attame,*
God hath youe me fulH knowlechyng
What thou shalt answere & seyn onto the kyng. 1596
ungra\'efu1 Tnd ^ey pleynli to hym, & marke it in thi thouht,
an idolater, j^ ^hi repair these woordis rehersyng,
*Sith God hath maad the, & reised the up off nouht,
From a seruaunt to regnen as a kyng, 1600
Fro Dauidis kyn, most worthi[ly] regnyng,
Partid the kyngdam & youen it onto the,
And thou onkynde therofF canst nothyng see, —
and had for- His gtcte gooducssc is out off tcmembrauwce, i6o4
goodness to FulH forgetyn off thi froward pride;
In fals[e] goddis put thyn affiauwce,
God aboue falsli set a-side,
Wherfore from the anon he shal deuyde 1608
Thy kyngdam hool, withoute mor delay,
And fro thi lyne the crowne take away.
God would take And fot thou hast to thi confusioun
from him and Thi feith, oufeithful, to falsc goddis take, 1612
his line and let 117 i- r j . 1 • 1
dogs eat their Wrongh retused thi relegeoun
Off God aboue, & pleynh hym forsake.
This thende which that thou shalt make:
The and thi kyn no man may socoure; 1616
Flessh, skyn and bon houndis shal deuoure.
1583. his] hir H. 1587. neithir R.
1589. nys] ne his R, J, P, nor his H, R 3 — he nys] henys H 5.
1591. hir callid R. 1592. for] for certis R.
1594. tattame B. 1596. answere & seyn] make answere R.
1597. pleyn R. 1598. these] ther H. 1601. worthi J.
1603. theroff] om. R.
1607. God] And god R — settist R.
1609. Thy] this H, The R. 1610. schal take R.
1615. This is the eende R — that] om. R.
carcasses.
BK. Il]
Abijab makes War on Jerohoam
And at thentryng horn to thi cite,
Thi sone and his, thou shalt fynde hym ded,
Off al his kyn thouh ther was non but he 1620
Founde veray good[e]; tak heeroff good heed.' "
Off which answere the queen fill in gret dreed,
Entryng the cite in especiall,
Hir child was ded, & lay cold be the wall. 1624
Off this wamyng the kyng took non heed, [p.
But made hym redi with ful gret apparaile, —
Fourti thousand with hym he dede leed
Off manli men armed in plate & maile.
With kyng Abias to haue a gret bataile.
The which Abias, that was off luda kyng.
Onto his peeple saide at ther meetyng:
" 0 noble knyhtis, hath o thyng in memorie,* 1632
No man venquysshith, platli to conclude.
With gret peeple, nor getith hym victorie
With noumbres hepid nor gret multitude;
Fals ydolatres, God will hem dillude, 1636
Nat suffre his seruauntis that be trewe & sad
Off mescreantis to been ouerlad.
245
"And you'll
find your ton
dead when you
go home."
108] T>e king
didn t care, and
set out to fight
Abijah, king of
Judah, who told
, _ his soldiers that
1028 God would not
allow an idola-
ter to defeat
them.
Tryumphe is non founde off newe or old
In these ydoles off ston nor siluer sheene.
Nor in caluere off metal maad or gold,
Youe to that parti which ontreuli meene.
And sithe that God knoweth our quarel cleene,
Ther is non hope, force non nor myht 1644
With hem that grounde hem a cause ageyn[e]s ryht.
Hope off victorie* stant on rihtwisnesse,
Off them that caste ther synful liff tamende.
And list forsake wrong and al falsnesse, 1648
And with hool herte onto the Lord entende;
Which shal this day his grace to you sende,
1622. queen] kvng R.
1624. Hir] His'R — wall] way R.
1626. ful] om. R.
1629. kyng] om. H, R 3 — to haue a gret bataile] to haven
in bataile R.
1632. hath] haue R. 1632,34. memoire, victoire B.
1634. nor] neithir R, om. H — hym] om. R, J, P.
1636. ydolatreris R. 1639. Tryumphes R — or] nor R.
1640. nor] & R. 1641. caluere] caluys R, calues P, R 3.
1644. nor] ne R. 1646. victoire B.
1649. hool] the hool R. 1650. his] om. H.
and that the
gc4den calves
1640 would be of no
avail to Jero-
boam.
"Hope of vic-
tory stands on
righteousness,"
said he.
246 The Fall of Jeroboam [bk. ii
Our trewe cause iustly* to termyne."
And thus Abias gan his tale fyne. 1652
Fifty thousand His precstls gan ther truwpes for to blowe;
of Jeroboams » i i a i • i i i • i m
men were slain, And Jcyng Abias thotuh his hih renouw
GafF to his peeple, bothe to hih & lowe,
Ful manli confort and consolaciouw. 1656
And fiftl thousand be computacioun
Wer slayn that day, which ful proudli cam
Vpon the parti off kyng leroboam.
and Jeroboam And al the patti ofF Icroboam, 1660
and all his Ime .1.1 r ^ rr i • ^ 1
were eaten by And al that wcqejn oiT his lyne born,
°^'' Afftir this bataile onto myscheefF cam,
Whan thei were slayn, with houwdis al to-torn.
As the prophete hadde hem told beforn. 1664
But for the kyng took therofF non heed.
With sodeyn vengaunce God quit hym his meed.
[How Zareas Kyng of Ethiope was slayn in bataile.] ^
After Jeroboam, A FFTIR hym to Bochas dcdc appeere,
Zerah, king of f-\ ,^ . "' , , ,. t r J
Ethiopia and -*. A. JNext m otdte pleynii, as 1 rynde, 1668
India, appeared, ^^ rj • i r i i
almost blind for On Aareas, with a sorwerul cheere.
LITetn^de-''' And he was kyng ofF Ethiope and Ynde,
we°akh ^nd"^'' Whos cyett wem almost with wepyng blynde,
slain in battle Praieng myn auctour, his onhappi chaunce 1672
by Kmg Asa. i i r i • i
With othre wotui to putte in remembraunce,
And that he wolde recorden be scripture
His sodeyn fall and dolorous distresse,
And his difFamous hatful disconfiture, 1676
With the dispoilyng ofF his gret richesse.
And how kyng Asaph, thoruh his hih noblesse,
Myd* his peeple, as he dede hym assaile,
Hath hym venquysshid & slay[e]n in bataile. 1680
165 1, iustly] treuli B, truly J, P, trewly H 5.
1652. his tale] take his R. 1656. manli] many H.
1659. kyng] om. R.
1669. 3oreas H.
1 67 1, wit^ wepyng almost R.
1672. his] that his H.
1676. diffamous] famous R — scomfiture H.
1678. hih] am. H — Asaph] Asa P.
1679. Myd] And B, J, H 5, P, Amyd R 3 InmyddisR.
1 MS. J. leaf 45 recto.
BK. Il]
Adaby Zimri and Ahab
247
paow Adab kyng of lenwalem lost sceptre &
crowne.] ^
OFF Israel than cam the woful kyng
Callid Adab, ful pitousli wepyng,
Onto Bochas his compleynt rehersyng,
How kyng Basa, be subtil fals werkyng, 1684
With sodeyn slauhtre caused his fallyng,
Whan Fortune gan falsH [on hym] frowne,
And took oniustli from hym sceptre & crowne.
Next, King
Adab came to
complain of his
sudden slaugh-
ter by King
Baasha.
[How the vengeable prince Zambrias set a toure on
fire and brent himsilf .] ^
NEXT cam Zambrias, a prince [ful] vengable, 1688 zimri, a
Which slouh kyng Helam be fals tresoun, prince, who
That fond also Fortune ful onstable;
For this Zambrias off entencioun
Hath moordrid hym withynne the cheefFdongoun 1692
Off his castell, with a ful gret[e] route,
As he onwarli laide a siege aboute.
But Amaryn, a prynce off ful gret myht,
Cam into Tharse, a famous strong cite,
And cast hym pleynli, lik a worthi knyht.
On this Zambrias auenged for to be,
Hym to destroie withoute merci or pite.
But into a* tour as Zambrias wente.
Set it affire, and so hymsilff he brente.
burnt himself
up in a tower
1696 to escape pun-
ishment at the
hands of Omri.
1700
[OS. Kyng Achab & lezabel his wifF.] ^
WYTH sihhes sore & wepyng inportable,
Cam kyng Achab onto lohn Bochas,
Whos hertli sorwe was incomparable.
And, compleynyng, ful offte [he] seide, alas!
Besechyng hym to write his woful cas,
1681. woful] wolful R.
1682. Adas R, Nadab P. 1688. ful] om. H, J.
1689. fals] ful fals H, R 3, H 5. 1695. Amri P.
1696. into] to H — Tharsa P. 1697. worthi] manly R.
1699] om. R. 1700. inta B, in a R.
1701. he] om. R, R 3.
1704. hertli] erthly H. 1705. ful] of R.
^ MS. J. leaf 45 recto. *MS. J. leaf 45 verso.
King Ahab,
with importable
weeping, be-
sought Bochas
1 704 to write his
and his daugh-
ter Athaliah'g
stor>-.
248 Ahab and Jezehel [^bk. ii
Compile his fallyng and the fate ifeere
Off AthaHa his owne douhter deere. 1708
He was a To God aboue most contrarious [p. 109]
wicked man rr>i • a i i • i i •
and had a 1 his Achab was m al his gouernauwce,
S'wifrcan^" And hadde a wifF cruel and lecherous
Jezebel. CalHd lezabcl, which set al hir plesauwce 171a
On Godis prophetis for to do vengauwce:
In the Bible ther malice men may see,
And ydolatres* thei were, bothe he and she.
Both were God fot thet ttespacis, as it was weel seyn, 1716
idolaters, and » rr- i i i 1 •
God first pun- Aitorshewed be trewe prophesie,
with three' Sente thre yeer nouther deuh nor reyn
drouth!^ Vpon the erthe ther greyn to multeplie;
Till efft ageyn, bi praier off Helie, 1720
Holsum watres from heuene gan descende.
Which gafF hem cause ther cursid liff tamende.
But Jezebel, an But his wifF, that cutsid lezabel,
woman, slew 300 To ech thyng hatful which that was dyuyne, 1724
Md°es Naboth'for An huwdted prophetis she slouh in Israel,
his vineyard, q^^^ g^^j f^j. ^j^^j ^^* ^^^di^ enclyne;
And she also slouh Naboth for his vyne,
Thoruh whos outrage & fals oppressiouw 1728
Achab was brouht to his confusiouw.
Not long after Off his enmyes outraied in bataile,
fatally wounded With a shatp arwc cauht his fatal wouwde,
was devou"ed* Till al his blood be bledyng dede raile* 1732
EHjfh^prophe- Aboutc his chaar, with many dropis rouwde;
sied, That the woordis wer ful trewe fouwde
Off Helias, which told hym, as it stood,
That huMgri houwdis sholde likke his blood. 1736
and Jezebel fell In a citc, than calHd lezrael,
out of a tower. i-x /• • i 11
Beware, Princes, Doun irom 3 tout loynyng to the wall,
of false counsel rTr-.i •jri ll'JT LI
given by your 1 hc said[ej quecH, callid lezabel,
wives. ^^g ouercast & hadde a dedli fall. 1740
Touchyng these myscheuys, for she was cause of all,
1707. his] J)e H — the] his R.
1710. al] om. R. 1714. may men R.
1715. ydolastres B, ydolatreris R. 1716. ther] his H.
1718. neithir dewe ne R. 1723. that] this R.
1726. ne] nat B, H 5 — wold not R, wolde nat J, would not P.
1731. With] OfF R. 1732. raile] fayle B, H, R, J, H 5, R 3,
V, y other MSS. and prints.
1737. In] And in R — than] om. R — J)at was callid leziael H.
1738. the] a R.
BK. Il]
The Story of Athaliah
249
Bewar ye Pryncis, remembryng al your lyues,
Teschewen fals counsail youen by your wyues.
1756
[Ofif queene Gatholia for Mr tyrannye slayn.] ^
NEXT to Achab in ordre dede sue 1744
Gatholia, with doolful contenaunce
Bochflj- besechyng, as she thouht it due,*
Hir sodeyn fall to putte in remembraunce.
Sours and chefFroote ofFsorwe and myschaunce, 1748
Vsurpacioun and off fals couetise,
Lik as hir story heeraftir shal deuise.
She was vpreised be fauour in thre thynges;
For fader, brother, and also hir husbonde 1752
Wer in that tyme echon crownyd kynges,
With sceptre and suerd, as ye shal vndirstonde.
Many emprises ther daies took on honde;
And how Fortune ther hihnesse dede assaile,
I caste shortli to make rehersaile.
She fill off Fortune in thunhappi boundis.
First whan hir fader was with an arwe ded.
His blood vplikked with cruel hungri houndis,
A-boute his chaar[e] rennyng doun ful red.
His bodi pale lay, who that took heed,
Lik a careyn, naked and dispoiled.
With foul blak erthe myd the feeld isoiled.
Cause of a-nother onhappi heuynesse
And ofF hir dedli desolacioun,
Was, the peeple felli dede hem dresse
Off Arabie in ther rebellioun
Ageyn hir husbonde, off entencioun
To robbe his tresour to ther auauntage.
And his richesse be outraious pillage.
1760
Athaliah, who
followed Ahab,
was fortunate
in that her
father, brother
and husband
were kings;
but her father
was slain, and
his body lay
like carrion,
soiled with
earth in the
field.
1764
1768
Another cause
of sorrow to
her was that
the people of
Arabia rebelled
against her
husband
1741. this myscheefF R. 1742. al] of R.
1744. dede] ther did R.
1745. Athalia P — ful doolful R.
1746. she thouht it due] hym thouhte due B.
1748. sorwe and myschaunce] myschefF & sorowe R.
1752. hir] om. R. 1757. caste] purpose R.
1762. good heed R. 1763. careyn] bareyn R.
1764. foul] ful R, H, full R 3 — myd] in myddis R, amyd
H, R 3, P — isoiled] yspoiled R.
1766. ofF] om. H. 1767. Was] Was whan R — did felly R.
^MS. J. leaf 45 verso.
250 Athaliah slays David's Kin [byl. ii
siet'^hl's^tub*"'^ Sumwe off his meyne thel puttyn in prisouw — 1772
jects. Her ThcF was agcyii hem maked no difFence, —
husband was r, j i • i i
infected by the bparccl nouthcr Cite, Doruh nor touw,
dieir ^" Slouh man and child be sturdi violence.
Hir lord infect with sodeyn pestilence, 1776
Conceyued fulli bi his maladie,
There was no geyn but he muste [nedis] deie.
»"<^ *^= , , . Afftir his deth, most wrechchid and odible,
stench of his _ . ' i • i i- r ii i
body was so His body corupt, his bowelis fell doun; 1780
awful that no- r\{V i ' i i i -i i
body would Urt his careyn the stench was so horible,
htsTepu"hre. Their infect aboute hym enviroun
With so gret horrour and putrefacciouw,
That no man myhte abiden nor endure 1784
To brynge his bodi onto sepulture.
Her third mis- Hir thHdde onhapp, wheroff she was ful fayn
fortune was the ^^ i- i • rr -i
death of her 1 hat 1< ortune list hir eitt assaile,
joram, after Made hir vncle, kyng loram, to be slayn 1788
slew all the With an arwe, as he fledde in bataile.
soTs^o^b^"''''^ She supposyng it gretli sholde auaile,
sole ruler of LJj^ ^ womau most furious and wood,
Judea. . ^ '
She off kyng Dauid slouh al the roial blood. 1792
Hir purpos was to gouerne al the rewm, [p. no]
Alone hirsilfF ta dominaciouw.
To regne in luda and Jerusalem,
This Gatholia be vsurpacioun. 1796
And for that cause in hir entenciouw.
With mortal suerd she made all tho to fyne
That were descendid from Dauid doun be lyne.
Except joash, Exccpt ou loas thet lefFte non alyue, 1800
none of David's Child off z ycet, sone ofF kyng Ochosie,
ai'iveTYnd^ Whom losakcth, the story doth descryue,
wTs^'saUd'hy Off verai pite cauhte a fantasie
jehosheba. 'pj^g child to sauc, that he shal nat deie, 1804
From the malice off Gatholia.
And she was wiff to bisshop loiada.
1773. made R. 1774- noutherj] neithir R — nor]] neithir R.
1776. infect] enfectid H, effect R — sodeyn] contagious R.
1778. nedis] om. R, J, H 5. 1780. fell] fall H.
1783. gret] gre H. 1784. nor] ne R.
1786. onhapp] vnhappy R.
1794. ta] to haue R.
1796. Gotholia R, Gathalia H, Athalia P. 1798. to] om. R.
1802. losabeth R, P. 1804. shal] shuld R.
1806. And] As R.
BK. Il]
Atbaliah and Joash
251
1816
1820
She and this bisshop, with hool herte & enteer,
Kepte this child in ful secre wise
Withynne the temple the space off seuene yeer,
And in the seuente, the story doth deuise,
loiada took on hym this emprise:
Yonge loas withynne a certeyn day
Be iust[e] title to crowne hym yifF he* may.
His massageris he sendith out anon.
Off pryncis, tribunes gan a counseil call,
Off preestis eek, and leuytes euerichon.
And whan he hadde discured to hem all
Hool his entent, thus it is befall:
Sworn and assentid, as it was sittyng,
That yonge loas shal be crownyd kyng.
"For be promys, which that is dyuyne,"
Quod loiada, "yiff ye taken heede,
God hath behestid to Dauid and his lyne,
And assurid onto his kynreede,
In Jerusalem how thei shal succeede;
And thouh loas be yong & tendr<f off myht,
He to the crowne hath neuer-the-lesse ryht.
In this mateer I wil nat that ye slepe.
But to shewe your trewe deligence,
On foure parties the temple for to keepe.
That no man entre be no violence;
And in the myddis, be roial excellence,"
Quod this bisshop, "no man shal us lette,
On loas hed a crowne for to sette."
And whan ech thyng was brouht onto the poynt,
His hih estat tencrece and magnefie.
The peeple anon, whan he was enoynt,
" Fiuat rex!" thei began to crie.
And whan Gatholia gan this thyng espie.
For veray ire and the sodeyn wonder,
Off malencoli hir clothes kitte assonder.
Ran to the temple and gan make affray
With hir meyne, and to crie loude,
Bad hem go slen, and make no delay, 1844
vrife of Bishop
Jehoiada. For
1S08 seven years
they kept
young Joash in
the temple.
Then Jehoiada
called a coun-
cil and pro-
1812 ^^ V X.
crown Joash
kins.
as God had
promised that
David's line
should rule in
Jerusalem.
1824
1828 "^'° n^*" **i»ll
prevent our
setting a crown
on his head."
1832
\Mien Joash
was anointed,
1836 the people cried,
"Long live the
King!"
Athaliah
ran to the
temple in a
fury and bade
1840 ^" ™«i *'?y
^ the young lung.
cret H. 1813. he] she B, J, R 3, H.
id] & to R. 1824. onto] to H. i
] for to H. 1839. tespye H.
secret H
an"
1808.
1823.
1030. tOj i\jj \.\j xi. lo^y. Lcsijyc n.
1841. kutte R, cutte H. 1844. go] to H.
830. On] of H.
252 The Death of Athaliah [bk. ii
The yonge kyng, in al the haste thel coude:
Hir venym hid vnder a couert cloude,
Al attonys hir purpos to recure,
Be sodeyn mahce she gan that day discure. 1848
The temple Xhc temple kept, entre had she non,
however was __. , '■ . *, . . .
well guarded, Fceplc ordcyncd awaityng tor the nonys;
and she was a i :i! i i r i
seized by the And OF* she myhte any rerthere gon,
8oon"aFtema"rds Clenli armed, the centurionys 1852
put to death, 'pjjg cruel queen assailed al attonys.
And off hir malice to writen a short tale,
Thei slouh hir afftir off Cedron in the vale.
Lo, this is the Loo, heer the eende off moordre and tirannye; 1856
end of murder tii ^ rr •
and tyranny! Loo, heer the eende oit vsurpaciouw;
Noble Princes, y 1 i i rr r i
beware of doing Loo, heer the eende on tais conspiracye;
fd°hlir8."^'^^ Loo, heer the eende off fals presumpciouw!
Born rihtful heires, wrongli to put hem douw. i860
O noble Pryncis, thouh God hath maad you strong.
To rihtful heires be war ye do no wrong!
^ Lenvoye.
These tragedies ^ ■ ''HESE tragedies testatis & degrees,
warned by God, A Fulli declarcth the decepciouws 1864
ml from^heir OfF Fottunys fals mutabilitees
""'• Shewed in provyncis, citees and eek touns.
Pryncis onwarli lost ther posessiouns.
Which from ther synnes, in no maner wise, — 1868
Hadde off God warnyng, and list nat for to rise.
Mighty kings Mihti kynges cast doun from ther sees,
were cast down -^ , , 1,1
unawares from Loste ther lyucs and ther regeouns,
j^robolm'for Onwarli throwe from ther felicitees: 1872
oppre°sk)nT *'"' leroboam for his oppressiouws
And for his froward fals oblaciouns
Doon to ydoles, his story doth deuise.
Had off God warnyng, & list nat for to rise. 1876
1846] om. R. 1851. or] ar B.
1855. Thei] The R — ofF] corrected to on or at H.
i860, to] om. H, R 3.
1863. These tragedies testatis] This tragedie the astatis R —
testatis] to estates P.
1865. Fortunys] fortune R.
1869. aryse R.
BK. Il]
An Envoy on evil Princes
253
Achab also hadde gret aduersitees
Thoruh fals counsail and exortaciouns
Off lezabel, roote off iniquitees;
Dede to his peeple gret extorsiouns:
She slouh prophetis, Godis champiouns.
Bothe he and she, most cursid in ther guise.
Had off God wamyng, & list nat for to rise.
Gathalia with hir duplicitees
And conspired fals intrusiouns
Slouh Dauides seed, tentre ther dignitees.
And to possede ther domynaciouns;
But for hir hatful fals collusiouns
Onwarly slayn, for hir gret couetise,
Had off God wamyng, & list nat for to rise.
Pryncis remembreth in your prosperitees.
And seeth afom in your discreciouns.
Wrong clymbyng up of statis or degrees,
Outher be moordre or be fals tresouns,
Axeth a fall for ther fynal guerdouns;
Namli off them that the Lord despise.
And for his wamyng list nat for to rise.
[p. Ill]
1880
Ahab for hit
extortioos, and
his abominable
wife Jezcbd,
who slew all
the prophets:
Athaliah
for murdering
David's de-
scendants.
Princes, remem-
ber in your
1892 prosperity that
wrongful usur-
pation either by
murder or
treason invites
a faU.
1896
[^ow Dido queen of Cartage slouh hirsilf for con-
seniacion of hir chastite.] ^
NOW must I putte my reud[e] stile in pres.
To queen Dido make my passage:
Hir lord Siche was preest to Hercules,
Hir fadir Belus, falle into gret age,
Kyng off Tire, and she queen off Cartage.
And it is rad in bookis that be trewe.
How first in Tire was founde purpil hewe.
Dido, queen of
Carthage, was
the wife of
Sychseus; her
1900 father, Belus,
king of Tyre,
invented purple.
1904
1877. This stanza is omitted in R. 1878. cownseiles H.
1880. his] hir H. 1884. Athalia R, H, P, Athalya H 5.
1885. intrusiouns] entenciouns H.
1886. Dau>-this R, H — tentre] tencres H.
1890. arv'se R.
1891. in] om. H. 1893. statis or] estatis & R.
1894. moordre] word R. 1895. ther] the H.
1897. his] no R.
1900. Siche] Sicheus H, P.
1901. Belus] Bolas R.
^ MS. J. leaf 46 verso.
254 Dido, ^ueen of Carthage [bk. ii
Cadi^s in- Cadmus fond first lettres for to write,
alphabet, and Gaff hcm to Grckis, as maad is menciouw,
discovered Whos brothcr Fenix, as clerkis eek endite,
vermfiion. Fond first the colour off vermelioun. 1908
And off Cartage, the famous myhti toun,
This said[e] Dido, hir story doth expresse,
How she was bothe queen and fouwderesse;
Dido's husband, But hir husbonde was cheeff lord and sire, 1912
slain for' his CalUd Sicheus, ful famous off renouw,
brother Pyg" Off this noble cite named Tire,
ma ion, Hadde gret tresour & gret possessions.
And for envie kyng Pigmaliouw, 1916
Brother to Dido, this Siche slouh in deede.
Off fals entent his richesse to posseede.
and Dido in Dido this slauhttc took greuousli at herte,
her grief fled . " .
from Tyre with Sote complcynyng this onhappi chauwce, 1920
her husband's /-^ t ii tpi i
treasure. Caste she woldc, yiit she myhte asterte,
Fleen out off Tire and hirsilff auaunce,
With al the tresour and the habundauwce
Behynde lefft whan hir lord was ded, 1924
Hir shippis entryng, went away for dreed.
Knowing the She knew & dradde the gredi auarice
Pygmalion, Off hir brother, kyng Pigmaliouw,
And how that hatful onstauwchable vice 1928
Was ground and roote & cheeff occasioun
Whi that hir lord was slay[e]n in that toun.
For whom ful offte she cried welaway,
Whos deth was cause whi she fledde away. 1932
she felt certain She hadde also this opynyouw,
mained he Which causcd most hir hertli heuynesse,
injure her. ° That sithe hir brothir, kyng Pigmalioun,
Hadde slayn hir lord for his gret richesse, 1936
Yiff she abod, that he wolde hym dresse,
Parcel for malice, parcel for couetise,
To haue hir tresour sum tresoun to practise.
1910. hir] the R.
1914. named] callid J, was callid H.
1919. greuousH] gretly R. 1920. this] his R.
1923. and] & al R. 1924. whan] whanne whan R.
1928. onstaunchable] vnstable R, vnchaungeable H.
1932. whi] whi J)at R.
1935. sithe] sih R.
BK. Il]
Dido founds Carthage
And for teschewe his malice and tresoun,
For hir nauye she maketh ordenaunce
Bauys off them, in whom, as be resoun,
She sholde off riht sette hir affiaunce.
And thei ful redy hir to do plesaunce,
Be on assent, for nothyng wolde faile,
With faire Dido out off that lond to saile.
In Cipre first was hir arryuaile;
And ther she fond[e] be a ryuer side,
Off yong[e] maidnes, with ful riche apparaile,
Sexti and ten in the same tide.
Which in the temple off Venus dede abide,
Afftir the custom, as I can reporte,
Off Cipriens straungeris to disporte.
And in ther moste feithful humble wise,
Afftir the rihtis off Cipre the cuntre.
Onto Venus ech day do sacrefise,
Them to conserue in ther virgenyte,
Duryng ther liff to lyue in chastite,
Neuer to been ioyned in mariage;
And with queen Dido thei went* to Cartage.
In ther passage fill a gret meracle,
As Seruyus maketh mencioun;
For Dido took off luno this oracle,
Outher baperv'ng or bi auisioun,*
Off Cartage to beelde that myhti toun.
And at reuerence off that gret goddesse,
She to tho parties faste gan hir dresse, *
The said[e] cite statli for to founde.
And hir werkmen, as thei therthe souhte.
An oxes hed off auenture thei founde;
And to queen Dido anon the hed thei brouhte,
Menyng wheroff to serchyn out she* thouhte.
And hir clerkis in ther dj-uynaile,
Tolde it was tokne off seruage & trauaile.
1942, Bau3-s] Be a devis R. 1944. hir] for R.
1954. in ther] the H. 1958. ther] the R.
i960, went] wenten B, R, J — to] vn to H.
1962. maketh] make R.
1964. bi appenng J, R, H, P, R 3, H 5 — or] outhir H, H 5 —
auisioun] dyuysion R, aduisioun J, P, a vision R 3 — or bi
auisioun] outher bauysioun B.
1971. anon the hed] the hed anon R, H, H 5.
1972. Menyng] Mevj-ng R — she] thei B, J.
1940 ^ °° ^^^ *'^"
vice of her
nobles she
sailed away
from Tyre,
1944
and £rst ar-
rived in Cy-
1948 prus, where she
found seventy
maidens, priest-
esses of the
temple
1952
of Venus,
vowed to
chastity, who
accompanied
,956hg^oCar-
i960
[p. 112] When Carthage
was founded
a great miracle
occurred, as
Scrvius tells:
1964
1968
19-2
Dido's work-
men unearthed
the head of
an ox while
digging, and
her wise men
told her that
it was a token
of servitude.
256 Dido founds Carthage [bk. ii
For which she lefFte to beeldyn [in] that place,
And gan remeue, as she ouhte off riht; 1976
And fro then[ne]s but a litil space
A soil she fond ful delectable off siht;
And as hir werkmen with ther ful[le] myht
The ground gan serche, anon, or thei took heed, 1980
The stori tellith, thei fond an horsis hed.
So she began And bi expownyng off hir dyuynours,
and found a Fond [that] this beeste gretli myhte auaile
horse's head, ^^ • o i • «
which was a Unto ptyncis & myhti conquerours, 1984
/Sid tliere "she Necessatie* in werre and in bataile.
built Carthage, ^j^j f^^ ^^ ^j}^^ j^jj. noblessc sholde assaile,
Cartage she bilte, off so gret excellence,
Geyn all enmyes to stonden at diffence. 1988
Some books say Suwme bookis declare and specefie,
chased as much Dido dcde as moche lond purchace
land as could a i • 11
be surrounded As a skyn in tound myhte ocupie
by an ox's skin.Q^f ^^ ^^^^ ^j^^^.^^^ ^^ j^^^jj^ ^ pj^^^. ^^^^
The ground cumpasid took a large space.
Which strongli bilt, thus it is befall,
Afftir the skyn men dede it Birsa call.
and when the And whan this cite myhtili was wallid, 1996
city was walled ^ rr • i i i i
it took the AJttir a skyn, wrouht be good curray,
an? Birsa"fw/ The name take, Carta it was callid, —
the skin. Lethir off Birsa, pleynli this no nay.
Took eek his name duryng many a day, — 2000
Carta and Birsa knet in ther language,
As moch to seyne as this woord Cartage.
Mrica"fnd''was And in Afftik stant the teritorie
built in honour Whet she bilte this cite delectable, 2004
of Juno, m the , , • • i i i •
time of David, jh ouwded It m laude and m memorie
Off myhti luno, the goddesse honourable.
The cite wallid, with tour[e]s strong & stable,
1975. in] om. H, R 3, J, H 5.
1977. but] om. H. 1978. delitable R.
1981. horsis] horse H, R 3, P, hors J, H 5.
1983. that] om. J, H, P, H 5, R3 — Fond] & H.
1985. Necessaire B. 1988. Ageyn R.
1993. ful large R. 1994. bilt] belte R 3, bylded P.
1997. curray] coraie R, Corray H.
1999. pleinli this no nay] this is no way R.
2000. a] om. R. 2004. dehtable R.
2005. 2nd in] om. H.
2007. The] This R.
BK. Il]
Dido refuses to marry again
257
Tyme ofF kyng Dauid myd the fourte age,
As I seide erst, callid it Cartage.
With gret worshepe she regned in that toun,
Euer off purpos to lyue in chastite;
And round aboute floured the renoun
Off hir prudence and hir honeste.
Til the report off hir famous beute
Cam to the eris, which gladli wil nat hide,
Off a kyng that duellid ther beside.
Off Musitan[e]s he was lord and sire.
As poetis pleynii list descryue,
Which in his herte gretli gan desire
The queen Dido bi hir assent to wyue.
Onto hir grace yiff he myhte aryue.
But for she hadde auowed chastite,
She neuer caste maried for to be.
The kyng supprised with loue in his corage
For hir wisdam and hir gret beute,
Sent[e] for the pryncis off Cartage,
On this mater to han a gret trete.
To condescende, yiff it myhte be,
Lich his desir, in al ther beste entent,
Doon ther deuer to make hir to consent.
With his request he gan hem eek manace,
Yiff he failed off his entencioun,
Lik his desir to stonden in hir grace,
Saide he wolde been enmy to ther toun,
Tordeyne be force for ther destruccioun.
Nat fulli sobre, nor fulli in a rage,
This was to hem pleynii his language.
But for thei knew hir gret[e] stedfastnesse,
And hir herte veray inmutable,
Thei were affer[e]d any woord texpresse.
Lest ther answere wer nat acceptable
To his hihnesse, for he was nat tretable.
Eek in ther conceit thei gan also recorde.
To his desir the queen wold nat accorde.
2009. it] is R, H.
2017. Musicans H, R 3. 2020. The] To R.
2026. ofTjofalR. 2031. eek] owt. R.
2033. stoden R. 2034. he] that he R — ther] the R.
2035. be force] repeated in R — for] to H, R 3.
2039. immutable R, H. 2042. he was] thei wem R.
2008
Dido reigned in
great prosperity
until a neigh-
bouring king
2012 heard of her
beauty
2016
and wanted to
have her for
his wife, al-
though she had
vowed ne%'er
again to marry.
2024
He sent for the
princes of Car-
thage to treat
of a marriage
2028
and threatened
to use force if
2032 he failed in his
purpose.
2036
The princes of
Carthage knew
that Dido
would never
2040 break her vow.
2044
258
Dido will yield to no Threats
[bk. II
fixed in her
purpose
and told her
princes
so they tem- With good auys an answere thei purueie [p. 113]
Dido remained To his purpos in parti fauorablc,
AfFerd he wolde ther noble touw werreie.
Or off disdeyn vpon hem be vengable. 2048
But queen Dido, in hir entent ay stable,
Caste she wolde, what-euer thei hir tolde,
Hir chast auow feithfulli to holde.
She set a-side off this cruel kyng
His fell manacis & his woordis grete;
And to hir pryncis for ther consentyng,
Which stood in feer off that he dede hem threte,
She onto hem gaff a maner hete,
For thei wer bold tattempten or tattame
To trete off mater rebouwdyng to hir shame.
"Nay, rather deie," quod she, "than tassente
grant the kiirg''sTo his dcsits, which thyng God forbeede,
demand. /--. r i rr \
Ur iro the centre oit my chast entente
For to remeue, outher in thouht or deede, —
Which were disclauwdre to al womanheede,
To condescende for any manacyng
To breke my vow for plesauwce off a kyng.
Touchyng manacis maad to this cite.
For to destroie it with his gret[e] myht,
Withoute cause or title off equite
To grouwden hym a quarell ageyn riht,
Onli for he is blyndid in his siht
With froward lust my chast auow tassaile,
Beth riht weel seur how he theroff shal faile.
that she would
rather die than
"Be sure, he
will fail in
spite of his
threats.
2052
2056
2060
2064
2068
2072
"If you were
men, you
Yiff ye wer bold and manli off corage,
wouiYnot con- For comouw profit your cite to defende,
descend to treat » i • i i i • • ■
with him. And to withstonde his vicious outrage,
To trete with hym ye wold nat condescende. 2076
But myn entent, platli to comprehende,
Wher* it to you be ioie or displesauwce,
In my promys shal be no variaunce.
2057. tattame] attame H. 2058. rebowndith H.
2060. his] hir R.
2061. centre] contre H, tentre J, P; in B the c in centre is very
much like a t.
2066. manacyng R. 2067. with] thoruh R — gret] om. R.
2070. blynde R. 2072. how] om. R.
2075. his] your R.
2078. Wher] Whethir B, H, J, P, R 3 — it] it be J, P — be]
om. R.
BK.
n]
Dido asks for Three Months* Time
259
My lord Sicheus, the which, alas, is ded
Onto the world[e], who[-so] list aduerte;
Trustith riht weel, for manacyng nor dreed,
That he shal neuer deien in myn herte,
Nor ye shal neuer myn auow peruerte.
Thus auysed, whil that I stonde fre,
Queen off" Cartage to gouerne this cite.
Myn hasti answere, I pray you nat disdeyne.
But that ye list to gyue me liberte.
With your support that I may atteyne
To haue a space graunted onto me:
This to meene, the space off monthes thre,
Mi lordis will taccomplissh* ofFentent,
Which he whilom made in his testament."
Vnder colour to hir auauntage
She took this space, bookis specefie.
That she myhte hir cite off Cartage
The mene while strongli fortefie
Ageyn hir enmyes, that for no slogardrie
Off them that wolde hir hih estat confounde,
Onpurueied hir cite nat be* founde.
Whan thre monthes passed were & gon,
She afFtir wolde, for hir hertli plesaunce,
With sundri rihtes, many mo than on.
To all hir goddis doon sum obseruaunce.
For a special synguler remembraunce
Off hym that was, as folk shal vnderstonde.
Whilom hir lord & best beloued husbonde.
And mor texalte his glorie* & his honour,
Heeld his exequies, be due reuerence,
Off al Cartage in the hiest tour.
With brennyng fir, fumys and encence,
Hir pryncis all beyng in presence;
To which she gan declare in compleynyng,
Hir dedli sorwe, doun from hir tour lokyng.
2080 "Fo"- rr.y part,
I will keep my
promise whether
it please you or
not, so long as
I am Queer, of
Carthage.
2084
"Give me three
months in
2088 which to exe-
cute my hus-
band's testa-
ment."
2092
In the mean-
time she for-
tified her city.
2096
After the three
months had
passed, she did
observance to
the gods
2104
2108 '■^^ held the
funeral rites of
her husband
with fire and in-
cense in thehigh-
est tower and
bade farewell to
her friends,
praying them to
report after her
death, that Dido
was married but
2080. the]om. R. 2081. who so] who H, J, P, H 5, R 3.
2084. myn auow] my vowe R. 2088. list] lust R.
2092. taccomplisshen B. 2093. whilom] sumtyme R.
2098. that] om. R — slugardie R, slugardye H.
2099. hih] om. R. 2100. be] ne B, H, R', H 5.
2101. thre] the R. 2107. Whilom] Suwityme R.
2108. 1st his] hir B, P and MSS. except H 5 — gloire B —
2nd his] om. R, R 3, hir H, her P.
26o
Dido dies rather than marry again
Cbk. II
"Go tell the
king that I am
dead; his
threats are in
vain.
"Let him go
el sewhere
and choose
another."
"Farweel my freendis, farweel for euermore!
Onto my lord myn husbonde I mut gon, 21 16
To hym, I meene, that was my lord off yore:
For off husbondis, God wot, I ha[ue] but on;
Praieng you to reporte euerichon
AfFtir my deth, [how] Dido off Cartage 2120
I-ioyned was but onys in manage.
Seith to the kyng, which hath* you manacid,
Mi chast[e] beute that he wolde assaile, —
Go, tellith hym how that I am pacid, 2124
And off his purpos how that he shal faile.
His manacyng shal hym nat auaile.
And seith how Dido deied for the nonys,
For she nat wolde be weddid mor than onys. 2128
Leuere I haue my liff as now to lese, [p. 114]
Rathere than soile my widwes chastite.
Lat hym go ferthere, sum other for to chese; *
For in such cas he shal nat speede off me. 2132
And with the tresour off myn honeste,
Which I ha[ue] treuli obserued al my lyue,
I will departe out off this world now blyue."
And with that And iuto fir, that brente cleer and briht, 2136
she plunged a ^, . . .
knife into her bhe tan m hastc, there is no mor to seyne,
heart and ran p rr ' ^\ i rr • "l.^
into the fire, bauff With a kuyit in euery manys siht
Ful sodenli she roff hir herte on tweyne.
Whos pitous deth the cite gan compleyne, 2140
Sore wepyng for wonder and for routhe.
In a woman to fynde so gret a trouthe.
After her death Afftir hir dcth thei dede ther besynesse
they worshipped r^. , , j j i i c ^ C II
her as a god- lo holdc and halwe a teste lunerall; 2144
and all widow!' Worshcpcd hir lik a chast goddesse,
wept for her ^^j j^j^. comendyn[g] in especiall
To heuenli goddis, & goddis infernall.
And widwes all[e], in ther clothes blake, 2148
At this feste weptyn for hir sake.
2120. how] om. J, P, R 3, H 5.
2122. hath] that B, OOT. J. 2124. Go] And R.
213 1, ferthere] forth R.
2132. Speede] be spedd H.
2135. will] wolde R — out departe R.
2136. fir] ^e fire H.
2139. on]tnR. 2142. a] om. R.
2147. infernall] fernall R.
BK. ii] Lydgates Praise of Dido 261
Touchyng Dido lat ther be no strifF: owd^c^**
Thouh that she be accusid off Guide, Dido of mis-
Afftir Bochas I wrot hir chast[e] lifF, 2152 self with
And the contrary I ha[ue] set a-side; foQow*'Bo^has
For me thouhte it was bet tabide h« chasw °ife
On hir goodnesse, than thyng reherse in deede, °^y-
Which myhte resowne ageyn hir womanheede. 2156
To Eneas thouh she was fauourable, it seems tome
_,_,.,,,. that It IS better
1 o Ytaiie makyng his passage, ^^JT^^ °h '^"
Al that she dede, [it] was comendable, of her failings,
TT ^ l_ /^ ^ , and besides she
Hym to receyue comyng be Cartage; 2160 did nothing but
Thouh sum folk wern large off ther language, p^iLwo^y.
Amysse texpowne be report, or texpresse better*to speak
Thyng doon to hym onli off gentilesse. '■^eii than evil
Ther shal for me be maad no rehersaile 2164
But as I fynde wretyn in Bochas;
For to sey weel may moch[e] more auaile
Than froward speche, in many dyuers cas.
But al Cartage offte seide alas, 2168
Hir deth compleynyng thoruhout ther cite,
Which slouh hirselff tobserue hir chastite.
[^ LenvoyO
OFAIR[E] Dido, most stable in thi constau/ice, F?ir ^^P\- ,
Queen of Cartage, merowr ofFhih noblesse, 2172 noblesse, you
T> ' 1 ' ^ o III died illamining
Kegnyng m glorie' & vertuous habundaunce, aii widowi with
Callid in thi tyme cheefF sours off gentilesse, $^t'' °'
In whom was neuer founde doubilnesse.
Ay off on herte; and so thou dedest fyne, 2176
With liht off trouthe alle widwes tenlumyne.
Chast and onchaungid in thi perseueraunce. Chaste and
• J. iiri' !• 1 steadfast in
And mmutable tounde m thi goodnesse, your pcrsever-
Which neuer thouhtest vpon variaunce, 2180 ^'nMs^was
Force and prudence wardeyns off thi faimesse,
I ha[ue] no language thi vertues to expresse,
Be newe report so cleerli thei [do] shyne;
With liht off trouthe alle widwes tenlumyne. 2184
immutable.
2151. that]om. H. 2152. wryte R, write H.
2159. it] om. J. 2162. report] record H. 2173. gloire B.
2179. immutable R, H, J.
2183. thei] to H — do] om. J, P, H 5, R 3.
262 An Envoy to Widows hy John Lydgate [bk. ii
Lode-star of Q lodc-sterre ofF al good gouernauwce,
good behaviour, .n'. | .,.,"
bridling your All VICIOUS lustis DC wisdam to reprcssc;
soberness, Thi grcnc youth flouryng with al plesauwce,
Thou di[d]st it bridle with vertuous sobirnesse. 2188
Diane demened so chastli thi clennesse,
Whil thou wer soul[e], pleynli to termyne,
With liht off trouthe alle widwes tenlumyne.
and finally Xhi famous bouwtc to put in remembraunce, 2192
innocent purity Thou slouh thisclfF ofF innoccnt peurnesse,
sureness were Lest thi scumcsse wcr hangid in ballauwce,
jeopardise ! q^ svlq)^ as cast them thi chastite toppresse —
Deth was inouh to here therofF witnesse — 2196
Causyng thi beute to al* clennesse tenclyne,
With liht off vertu alle widwes tenlumyne,
^ Lenvoye direct to wydowis of the translatour.^
Noble matrons, "VTOBLE matrones, which han al suffisaunce
such folly as JL ^ OfF womawhed, yowf wittis doth vp dtessc, 2200
that of Dido tt i t-> i* i • i
enter your How that T oFtune list to tumt hit chauwcc,
hearts. Bcth nat to rakell ofF sodeyn hastynesse,
But ay prouideth* in your stabilnesse,
That no such foly entre your corage 2204
To folwe Dido, that was queen ofF Cartage.
To slay your- With hir maneHs hath non aqueyntaunce, [p. iii;]
selves were too » -/ ' i.* ^j
great a penance! Put out ofF myndc such foltissh wilfulnessc:
May God bless >-r« i •^cr^ i i
and preserve 1 o slen yoursiltr[eJ wcF a grct penaunce! 2208
your raiity! q^j ^^ j^j^ gj.^^,g defendc you and blesse,
And preserue your variant brotilnesse,
That your trouthe falle in non outrage,
To folwe Dido, that was queen ofF Cartage! 2212
Pretend all With couett colour and sobre contenaunce,
make for stead- OfF feithful menyug ptetendith a liknesse,
doVTfoiiow Countirfetith in speche and daliaunce
Dido's example. ^|jg thyngc that sowneth unto* stedfastnesse; 2216
2188. Thou] Thi R — didst] dist J, did R 3, dost P.
2189. demened] demede R. 2193. pournesse H.
2197. to al] tal B. 2198. vertu] trewth R.
2201. to] om. H.
2203. preuideth B, J, provyd R 3, prouide P.
2206. non] nouht R. 2210. brotilnesse] Doublenesse R.
2213. The first line of the following stanza is misplaced before
2213 in H.
2216. unto] into B, R, J, P, H 5.
^ The same heading is in MS. J. leaf 47 d.
BK. ii3 Sardanapalus, last King of Assyria 263
Off prudence be gret auisenesse*
YoursilfF restreyneth, yong & old off age,
To folwe Dido, that was queen off Cartage.
Lat al your port be void off displesauwce; 2220 ^'ever be uq-
r-T' r I'll I provided with
10 gete rreendis doth your besynesse, lovers; there is
And beth neuer withoute purueiaunce : one'ldone? "*
So shal ye best encresen in richesse, —
In on alone may be no sekirnesse; 2224
To your herte beth dyuers off language,
Contraire to Dido, that was queen off Cartage.
Hold your seruauntis vnder obeisauwce, Hold a tight
Yi iiriri 1 '^"* *°" bndle
L-at nem noutner ha[uej rredam nor largesse, 2228 them with hu-
But vnder daunger doon ther obseruaunce. when'^'the" ser-
Dauwtith ther pride, them bridlyng with lownesse, nan^Vs^s"
And whan the serpent off newfangilnesse ^mk^tlmm
Assailith you, doth your auauntage, — , 2232 ^3°'J^° ^f
Contraire to Dido, that was queen off Cartage. Carthage.
[How vicious Sardanapalle kyng of Assirie brent
himsilff and his tresour.] ^
OFF Assirie to rekne kynges alle Sardanapaius,
Which hadde that lond vnder subieccioun, As^ria, came
Last off echon was Sardanapalle, 2236 aTuSy^ainer
Most femynyne off condicioun, ^° ^«^*-
Wherfore Fortune hath hym throwe doun:
And compleynyng, most ougli off maneere,
Next afftir Dido to Bochas dede appeere. 2240
To vicious lust his liff he dede enclyne; He was vicious
Mong Assiriens, whan he his regne gan, L effemSa^te
Off fals vsage he was so femynyne, amonfe'^omen
That among women vppon the rokke he span, 2244 tTe'^pfe'ince of
In ther habite disguisid from a man. *^ ™^°-
And off froward flesshli insolence.
Off alle men he fledde the presence.
First this kyng ches to been his guide 2248 His guide was
Moodir off vices, callid idilnesse, mor/ofv'ices.
Which off custum ech vertu set aside whVhe M-
2217. auesinesse B. 2221. gete] get yow R.
2225. hertis R. 2227. Holdith R. 2232. doth] do H.
2234. rekne] regne R. 2242. Amonge R — beganne R.
2250. ech] his R — set] settith H, R 3.
1 MS. J. leaf 48 recto.
264 Sardanapalus ; his vicious Life \_&K. 11
In ech acourt wher she is maistresse.
Off sorwe & myscheeff the firste fouwderesse,
Which causid onli this Sardanapall,
That to al goodnesse his wittis dede appall.
He fond up first ryot and drunk[e]nesse,
Callid a fadir off lust and lecherie;
Hatful off herte he was to sobirnesse,
Cherishyng surfetis, wach and glotonye,
Callid in his tyme a prynce off baudrie,
Fond rere soperis* and father beddis soffte,
Drynke late, and chaunge his wynes offte.
The air off metis and off baudi cookis,
Which off custum aid ay roste and seede,
Sauour off spetis, ladlis & flesshhookis
He loued vveel, and took off hem gret heede.
And folk that drank[e] mor than it was neede,
Smellyng off wyn for ther gret excesse,
With hem tabide was hooli his gladnesse.
He thouhte also that it dede hym good
To haue aboute hym, ageyn* skele and riht,
Boistous bocheris, al bespreynt with blood.
And watry fissheris abood euer in his siht,
Ther kootis poudrid with scales siluer-briht:
Dempte ther odour, duryng al his liff.
Was to his corage best preseruatiff.
and nothing pot ther nas herbc, spice, gras ne roote
pleasant to him To hym SO lusti, as was the bordelhous,
hou^se and^ust- Nor gatdeyn non so holsum nor so soote
mouthed people, To his plcsauwce nor so delicious,
flauer°him. -^s the ptescnce off folkis lecherous;
And euer glad to speke off ribaudie.
And folk cherisshe that koude flatre & lie.
jFinaiiy God Til at the laste God off veray riht
became dis- t-vi'i -ii* ^• •
pleased with hisDisplesid was With his condiciouws, 2284
scandalous be- r» i • -i ^
haviour, because he was m euery manys siht
2252. firste] chefF H, om. R 3. 2254. That] om. H, R 3.
2260. reresoperis B, reresopirs R, reresopers J, rersuppers R 3,
reresowpers P.
2263. alday] ech day H.
2264. spitis ladil & Fleishokes R. 2265. gret] goode R.
2267. ther] the H. 2269. R omits lines 2269-4102.
2270. ageyn] with B, J.
2276. herbe] eke H — ne] nor H. 2277. as] a H.
He invented
drunkenness
and riot and
feather beds,
and was a
libertine and
glutton.
He loved the
odour of food
and of dirty
cooks, of spits,
ladles, and
meat hooks,
and kept com-
pany with
drunken folk.
He liked to
have butchers
and fishermen
about him,
their coats
powdered with
silver-bright
scales,
2252
2256
2260
2264
2268
2272
2276
2280
BK. Il]
The End of Sardanapalus
265
So femynyne in his affecciouns,
And hooli gaff his inclynaciouns
Duryng his liff to eueri vicious thyng,
Terrible to heere, a[nd] namli off a kyng.
But, as Bochas list to putte in mynde, [p.
Whan Arbachus, a prynce off gret renoun,
Sauh off this kyng the flesshli lustis blynde,
Made with the peeple off that regeoun
Ageyn[e]s hym a coniuracioun,
And to hym sente, for his mysgouemaunce,
Off hih disdeyn a ful pleyn diflSaunce.
Bad hym be war, & proudli to hym tolde,
That he hym caste his vicious liff tassaile,
And in al haste, also, that he wolde
Withynne a feeld[e] meete hym in bataile.
Wheroff astonyd, his herte gan to faile,
Wher among women he sat & made gaudes,
No wiht aboute but flatereres and baudes.
And vp he ros, & gan hymsilff auaunce,
No stuff aboute hym but sergauntis riotous;
Took the feeld withoute gouemaunce,
No men off armys but folkis* vicious,
Whos aduersarie,* callid Arbachus,
Made hym proudli the feeld to forsake.
That lik a coward his castell he hath take.
And for his herte frowardli gan faile,
Nat* lik a knyht, but lik a losengour.
His riche perre, his roial apparaile.
His gold, his ieweles, vesseles & tresour
Was brouht afom hym doun [out] off a tour,
Mid off his paleis, & gaff his men in charge
Off cole and fagot to make a fir ful large.
In which he caste his tresour and ieweles,
Mor bestial than lik a manli man;
And myd his riche stonys and vesseles.
Into the fir furiousli he ran.
This tryumphe Sardanapallus wan.
With fir consumyd for his fynal meede,
Brent al to asshes among the coles rede.
2303. aboute] about hvm H. 2305. sargeauntifj H.
2307. folkis] off folkis B, J, H, P, R 3, H 5.
2308. aduersaire B.
2312. Nat] I nat B, H 5. 2315. out] om. J, H, H 5, P.
2288
1 1 61 ^^'^i ** Bochas
says, Arbaces,
who saw his
blind sensuality,
2292 conspired
against him.
2296
bidding him
beware and
challenging him
to battle.
2300
2304 Sardanapalus,
surrounded by
women and
flatterers, lost
heart, but
made a show of
resistance and
then, like a
coward, fled
to his castle.
2308
where he bade
all his jewels
2312 and gold and
royal garment*
be brought
to him, and.
2316
having a large
fire kindled, _
cast everything
into it, and
2320 running
furiously into
the flames, was
himself burnt
to ashes.
2324
266 Bochas commends Industry (^bk. ii
Before his death Tofom his deth[e] bad men sholde write
epitaph: "My VpoH his grauc, the book doth certefie,
idleness and ttt- i i i i • r ^•
vicious life With lettres large, this resouw tor tendite:
brought me to <.jyjj ^^^^jj jj^^ ^^ froward glotciiye, 2328
Myn idilnesse, myn hatful lecherye,
Han causid me, with many fals desir.
My laste daies to be consumpt with fir."
From this, This epitaiFe on his graue he sette, 2332
rrmces, you rj^ . i , • i i * i
may see that 1 o shewe how he was in al his lyue
vengeance al- r* • i i 11
ways follows Dcsi euet to hyndren and to iette
vices.
Al maner vertu, & therageyn to stryue.
Who folweth his tras is neuer lik to thryue, 2336
For which, ye Pryncis, seeth for your auail,
Vengaunce ay folweth vices at the tail.
f A comendacion of Bochas of vertuous besines
rehersing names fondours of diuers sciencis &
cunnjmgis in reprefe of Idilnes.^
There were ^TT^HER wet eck Other, hat list falsli prouide
others also who ■
T
delighted to live A Fals flesshli lustis & dissoluciouws, 2340
fashionr Riot, outrage, froward disdeyn & pride.
Vices tenhauwce in ther afFecciouws
With many onlefful croked condiciouws,
Resoun auoidyng, as I reherse shall, 2344
ThemsilfF delityng for to be bestiall.
for people may Tweyne mancr folkis to putte in remewbraunce,
be divided into ^^~. . , i ^•^r
two kinds: the (JiT vicc and vertu, and sette a dmerence:
th""vicious'! and The goodc alway han set ther plesaunce 2348
of both"is"u'ch In vertuous labour to doon ther deligence;
as they deserve, ^j^j yicious pecple in slouthe & necligcnce.
And the report off bothen is reserued.
With laude or lak, as thei han disserued. 2352
One must Men muste off riht the vertuous preferre,
industrious and And ttculi prcisc labour and besynesse;
idie'^'so f will And ageynward, dispreisen folk that erre,
someWrtuots Which ha[ue] no ioie but in idilnesse. 2356
pa'rVthem'^°with "^"^ ^° compare bamaner off witnesse,
Sardanapaius. Vcttuous folk I will to myndc Call
In rebukyng off kyng Sardanapall.
2330. Han] have H. 2332. Epitaphye H, Epitaphie P.
2335. ther ageyn to] therageyns H.
2352. have H. 2353. preferre] presi?rve H.
^ The same heading is in MS. J. leaf 48 verso.
BK. Il]
Bochas in Commendation of Industry
267
The olde wise, callid Pictagoras,
Be soun off hameris, auctours certefie,
Exaumple took[e], and cheefF maister was
That fond out first musik and melodie.
Yit off Tubal sumwe bookis specefie,
That he be strok of smethis where thei stood,
Fond first out musik tofor Noes flood.
And losephus remembreth be scripture, [p.
That this Tubal koude forge weel,
First ymagyned makyng oflF armure
With instrumentis off iren and off steel,
And ther temprures he fond out euerideel.
Lucyus Tarquyn, in stori as I fynde, 2372
Fond cheynes first, folk to fetryn & bynde.
The childre off Seth, in story ye mai see,
Flouryng in vertu be long successiouns.
For to profite to ther posterite, 2376
Fond first the craflFt off heuenli mociouns,
OfFsondri sterris the reuoluciouns;
Bequath ther cunnyng, off^ gret auauntage,
To them that afftir cam off^ ther lynage. 2380
For ther vertu God galF hem gret cunwyng,
Touchyng natures bothe oflF" erthe & heuene,
And it remembrid sothli be writyng.
To lasten ay for water or for leuene.
Generaciouns ther wer off hem seuene.
Which for vertu, withoute werre or striff,
Trauailed in cunnyng duryng al ther liff.
And for that Adam dede prophesie,
Twies the world destroied sholde be.
With water onys stonde in iupartie.
Next with fir, which no man myht[e] fle:
But Sethis childre, as thei* dede see.
Made too peleris wher men myhte graue.
Fro fir & watir the carectis for to saue.
The ton was maad off tilis hard ibake.
Fro touch off fir to saue the scripture; 2396
Off hard marbil thei dede a-nother make,
Ageyn[es] water strongli to endure,
2371. temprures] thempruriTS H. 2373. fettre H.
2379. oflGsoH, forH s.orP. 2383. it] it is H.
2392. asthei]althisB, J, P, R 3. 2393. graue] save H.
2360 Pythagoras or
Tubal invented
music from the
rhjthm of beat-
ing hammer*.
2364
117] Tubal first in-
vented forged
2368 armour and
Lucius Tarquin
chains.
The children of
Seth were the
first astrono-
mers,
seven genera-
tions of them,
who laboured in
peace all their
lives.
2384
3388 ^^^ they made
two pillars, one
of tiles, the
other of hard
marble, upon
which letters
were engraved
2 3fi2 ^° ^^^'^ ^^^^
•Sy from destruction
by water and
fire.
268
Bochas in Commendation of Industry
[bk. II
They thought
that their
knowledge
would be in
vain were it
not passed on
to other men.
To saue ofFletris the preent & the figure:
For ther cunwyng afForn gan so prouide,
Geyn fir & watlr perpetueli tabide.
Thei dempte ther cunwyng hadde be in veyn.
But folk with them hadde be partable;
And for ther labour sholde afftirward be seyn,
Thei it remewbrid be writyng ful notable:
Onto-fpr God a thyng ful comendable,
To them that folwe, be scripture or writyng
Or that men deie departe ther cunwyng.
In old times Yov be old tyme folk dyuers crafFtis fouwde
various crafts ^ , . . «
were found for In sundti wise tor ocupacioun;
Llnt°of°v'irtue Vcrtu to cherisshc, vices to confouwde,
ance^of idieitss Thet witt thei sette & ther entencioun
To putte ther labour in execucioun,
And to outrage, this is veray trouthe,
Fro manys lifF necligence & slouthe.
Enoch invented Qldc Ennok, ful famous off vertu,
the Hebrew _v i r ^ r rr • i
Duryng that age tond first orr euerichon
Thoruh his prudence lettres off Hebreu;
And in a piler thei wer kept off ston,
Til that the flood off Noe was agon.
And afitir hym, Cam was the secounde
Bi whom off Hebreu lettres wer first fouwde.
and so did And CatacHsmus the firste was that fond
Catacrismus. ■, , rr i i
But the letters Letttcs also, as oiT that language.
God's^haJd and But Ictttes wreten with Godis owne bond
w«?d'fferlnr Moyscs fitst took, most briht off his visage,
Vpon Syna as he heeld his passage,
Which off carectis & namys in sentence
From other writyng hadde a difference.
Eek afftirward, as other bookis tell,
And Seyn[t] lerom rehersith in his stile,
Vnder thempire off Zorobabell,
Esdras off Hebreu gan lettres first compile;
And Abraham, gon sithen* a gret while,
The firste was, in bookis men may see,
That fond lettres off Cire & off Caldee.
alphabet, and
after Noah's
Flood, Cam
invented
it again,
Afterwards
Ezra became
the fourth dis-
coverer of He-
brew letters,
and Abraham
invented those
of Syria and
Chaldaea.
2400
2404
2408
2413
2416
2420
2424
2428
2432
2436
2399. 2nd the] om. H. 2413. in] & H. 2415. Fro] For J.
2421. Caame H, Cam J, R 3, P. 2431. seyn J.
2433. first] om. H, R 3.
2434. gon] gan J — gon sithen] gan sithe B.
BK. Il]
Bochas in Commendation of Industry
269
Ysis in Egipt fond dyuersite
Off sundri lettres, parted into tweyne:
First for preestis, and for the comounte
Vulgar lettres he dede also ordeyne.
And Fenyces dede ther besy peyne
Lettres off Greek to fynde in ther entent,
Which that Cadmus first into Grece sent,
Which in noumbre fulli wer seuenteene;
Whan off Troye was endid the bataile,
Pallamydes, ther language to susteene,
Put thre therto, which gretli dede auaile.
Pidagorus, for prudent gouemaile,
Fond first out Y, a figur to disceme
The liff heer short and liff that is eteme.
First Latyn lettres off our A. B. C, [p.
Carmentis fond, off ful hih prudence.
Grete Omerus, in Isidre ye may see.
Fond among Grekis crafft off eloquence.
First in Rome, be souereyn excellence.
Off rethorik Tullius fond the flours, 2456
Pie and diffence off subtil oratours.
Callicrates, a grauer most notable.
Off whiht yuor dede his besynesse.
His hand, his eye so iust wer & so stable, 2460
Off an ampte to graue* out the liknesse,
Vpon the ground as Nature doth hym dresse.
This crafft he fond, as Sardanapall
Fond idilnesse mooder to vices all. 2464
Off a screueyn Bochas maketh mencioun,
How in a scrowe off litil quantite
Wrot off al Troie the destruccioun,
Folwyng Omerus be gret subtilite: 2468
Which among Grekis is had in gret deynte.
Because he was founde in his writyng.
So compendious the story rehersyng.
Isis made a two-
fold alphabet
in Egypt, and
the Phoenicians
discovered
Greek letters
2440 numbering
seventeen, which
Cadmus sent to
Greece.
2444
2448
118] Latin letters
were invented
2452 by Carmentis,
Greek elo-
quence by
Homer, Roman
oratory by
Tuily.
Callicrates
carved a life-
sized ant out
of ivory.
and Bochas
mentions a
scrivener who
wrote the entire
Iliad on a little
scroll.
2438. sundri] sondris H.
2440. also did H.
2450. 2nd liiF] te liff H, ^t life R 3, the life P.
2453. ysodre H.
2457. off] & H.
2461. grauen B.
270 Bochas in Commendation of Industry []bk. ii
Mirmecides Mirmecldcs* made a char also 2472
made a chariot t ■> ii- -iii 'i
and a ship so And 2L smal shipp, with al the apparaile,
b?e^ might cover So that a bee myhte close hem bothe too
hb'^ings^ ^'^^ Vnder his weengis, which is a'gret meruaile —
And nothyng seyn off al the hool entailer 2476
This crafFt he fond off vertuous besynesse
Teschewe the vice off froward idilnesse.
Pan, the god of Pan, god off Kynde, with his pipes seuene,
composed tunes Off recotderis fond first the melodies. 2480
Mer\:vrry on^the And Metcuric, that sit so hih in heuene,
chu^'dlscljv^red Fitst in his harpe fond sugred armonyes.
of"ifquo^rl''^"^ Holsum wynes thoruhfyned from ther lyes
Bachus fond first, of* vynes heuy lade, 2484
Licour off licours corages for to glade.
Perdix and Petdix be cuwpas fond triangle and lyne,
Euclid invented a ■, t^ ■,• -t r ri
geometry. And Luclid hrst lond geometne,
cin^ AiblTr^as'ar And Phebus fond the crafft off medicyne. 2488
Min°ervrchar- Albumasat [first] fond astronomye;
farini!*'°° '^^' ^^^ Mynerua gan charis first to guye.
lason first sailed, in story it is told.
Toward Colchos to wynne the Flees off Gold. 2492
Ceres agricuiture.Ceres the goddcsse fond first tilthe off lond;
Dionysus and t-^. . . , • • *
Beiiona warfare, Diomsms tryumphcs ttansitotie.'
Ethoius^sha^" And Bellona be force first out fond
spears. Conquest be knyhthod, & in the feeld victorie. 2496
And Martis sone, as put is in memorie,
Callid Etholus, fond speris sharp & keene,
To renne a werre in platis briht and sheene.
Aristaeus first Eck Atisteus fond out the vsage 250a
curdsTnd ^" Off mylk & cruddis, & off hony soote.
smote' firr/rom Piroidcs, for gret auauMtage,
fnvente^d^weav- Fto flyntes smet fir daryng in the roote.
'"s And Pallas, which that may to cold do boote, 2504.
Fond out weuyng, this is veray soth,
Thoruh hir prudence, off al maner cloth.
2472. Mirmecides] Marmychides B, Mirmychides H, Mir*
michiades R 3, Myrnychydes H 5, Mirmecides P.
2473. al the apparaile] a trapparaile H. 2474. a bee] A B H.
2475. a] om. H. 2480. the] om. H, R 3. 2481. sittith H.
2484. of] on B, J, R3. 2487. gemetrye H.
2494. 96. transitoire, victoire B.
2496. be] of H — &] om. H. 2497. put is repeated in H.
2502. Purides H. 2505. weyvyng H. 2506. hir] his H.
BK. Il]
An Envoy on vicious Idleness
271
And Fido first fond out the science
Off mesours and off proporciouns,
And for marchantis dede his dehgence
To fynde ballaunces be iust dyuysiouns,
Tauoide al fraude in citees & in tou^zs
On outher* parti, pleynli to compile,
Off trewe weihte that ther wer no gile.
Compare in ordre cleerli all these thynges
Founde off old tyme be deligent trauaile,
To the plesaunce off pryncis & off kynges.
To shewe how moch[e] cunnyng may auaile,
And weie ageynward the froward aquitaile,
Contrariousli how Sardanapalle
Fond idilnesse mooder off vices alle.
Lat pryncis alle heeroff taken heed.
What auaileth vertuous besynesse.
And what damage the reuers doth in deed,
Vicious liff, slouthe and idilnesse;
And these exaumples lat hem eek inpresse
Amyd ther herte, and how Sardanapalle
Fond idilnesse mooder off vices alle.
and Fido
weights and
2%oS measures.
2512
Compare these
old inventions
with the worth-
lessness of Sar-
2516 danapalus, who
only discovered
that idleness is
the mother of
all vices.
2520
Let princes
remember the
advantage of
virtuous in-
dustry and
the damage
2524 done by idle-
ness.
[^ Lenvoy.]
NOBLE Pryncis, heer ye may weel see
As in a merowr, off ful deer euydence.
Be many exaumple mo than too or thre.
What harm folweth off slouthe & necligence,
Deepe enprentyng in your aduertence.
How gret hyndryng doth wilful frowardnesse
To your estat thoruh vicious idilnesse.
Whan resoun faileth, and sensualite [p.
Holdeth the bridel off lecherous insolence,
And sobirnesse hath lost his liberte,
And to fals lust is doon the reuerence.
And vice off vertu hath an apparence, —
Misledith pryncis off wilful reklesnesse
To gret errour off froward idilnesse.
2>28 Noble Princes,
see as in a
mirror the
harm that
comes from
sloth and
neglect.
2532
IIQ] ^hen reason
■^ fails and vice
2536 takes on an
appearance of
virtue, princes
recklessly fall
into idleness.
2540
2507. Sido H. 2508. mesur^ H.
2512. outher] nouther B. 2514. Compare] Compas H, R 3.
2516. & off] om. H.
2528. heer] om. H. 2532. empryntyng H.
272 The Story of Amaziah ^bk. ii
and adversity.
which has no Thcr mav to slouthe non other guerdoun be,
other reward _ _ -^ , . " '
than sorrow JNoF non Other condigiie recompense,
But sorwe, myscheefF and aduersite, 2544
Sodeyn vengaunce and onwar violence.
Whan ye be froward in your magnyficence
To knowe the Lord and bowe be meeknesse
Tobeie his preceptis and eschewe idilnesse. 2548
[How Amazias in luda kyng for pride and presump-
cioun was venquysshed in bataUe & aftir slayn.] ^
As Bochas sat TN his studi as Bochas sat musyng,
musing in his ■ ,,,. , , , / °' .
study, Amaziah X With many vnkouth soleyn tantasie,
and his son <-•-< i i i • i
Uzziah appeared lo hym appcrcd many a myhti kyng;
befof mighty And tofom allc cam worthi Amazie, 2552
kings; Y{[s sone also, that callid was losie.
Off Dauidis blood descendyng, as I reede,
Ech afFtir othir in luda to succeede.
and Amaziah Fitst Amazias compleyned on Fortune, 2556
began to com- ^^ , . i •
plain on For- Causyng his gteuous gret aduersites,
tune, who cast npi • ii* i •
both him and 1 he ttaitoutesse caliid m comune,
theirThrones. These kynges tweyne castyng from ther sees;
Whos ouerturnyng from ther dignites, 2560
Onwar fallyng, dreedful and terible.
Been ceriousli remembrid in the Bible.
Men may read Ther pitous eende men may ther reede & see,
about their sad __ ' i r • i i
end in the How T ortune thet tatis dede entrete. 2564
oniy'^'gilan out^ Whetfore teschcwe & fleen prolixite,
the chief facts. ^| ^gjious thyng in this processe to lete.
And in substaunce to glenen out the grete,
Off ther fallyng I purpose nat to spare 2568
Compendiousli the causes to declare.
Amaziah held This Amazias hauyng gouernauwce
the sceptre over -r-t r ^ • • i rr
Judah and grew De tul mst title Olt SUCCCSSIOUM,
prou rpj^^ sceptre off luda, with al the hool puissauwce, 2572
2542. to] no H, P. — This stanza is omitted in J.
2556. First] For H.
2565. teschewe] to shewen H, to shew R 3.
2566. Al] Off J — tedious thyng] tediouste H, tedioustee R 3,
tediousty P.
2569. causes] cause H. 2571. off] havyng H.
1 MS. J. leaf 49 verso.
BK. Il]
The Story of Amaziah
273
Ful pesibli in his possessioun,
Til that pride and fals presumpcioun
Most frowardli dede his herte enbrace,
Which al attonys made hym lose his grace. 2576
In herte he hadde a maner* veynglorie,
Because that God made hym to preuaile
In his conquest and to have* victorie,
Amalechitis to venquysshe in bataile, 2580
Eek Gabanytis, as he them dede assaile,
Purposyng[e] afftir, yifF he myhte,
With Israelitis off pride for to fyhte.
Onto kyng loas off Israel he sente,
Hym comaundyng to obeien his biddyng,
And be lik subiect, as wem in ther entente,
His predecessours in al maner thyng,
Whilom to Dauid, the noble worthi kyng.
This was his sonde to loas, plat and pleyn.
Which bi a problem thus wrot to hym ageyn:
"The ougli thistil off the valis lowe,
Proudli presumyng aboue[n] his degre,
To make his pride openli be knowe.
Sent his message to the cedre tre,
That his sone myhte weddid be
To his doubter; al-thouh in substaunce
Atwen hem too was a gret discordaunce.
But off the forest the beestis sauagyne
In ther corages hadde theroff disdeyn.
Alle off assent fersli dede enclyne 2600
The thistel leuys abrod vpon the pleyn.
That ther was nouther leff nor prikke seyn."
This was the problem, which loas be writyng
Sent in a pistil to Amazie the kyng. 2604
^ But losephus in his origynal.
The said epistil, as he doth expresse,
Seith off the vale how the pouder smal
Off pride sente to the hih cipresse, 2608
That his doubter, off excellent faimesse,
Onto his sone, pleynli to descryue,
Myhte be delyuered & hauen hir to wyue.
2577. maner] maner off B. 2579. have] han B.
2581. them dedel did them H.
2600. fersli] freshly H. 261 1. &] to H.
and vainglori-
ous because
God helped him
defeat the
Amalekites and
Edomites.
2;&il He wanted to
^^ fight Israel
and commanded
King Jehoash
to be subject
to him.
Jehoash an-
swered, "TTie
2592 ugly thistle of
the vale sent
to the cedar-
tree, saying,
'give thy
daughter to
my son in
marriage.' But
the wild beasts
of the forest
trod down the
thistle. Not a
leaf or even a
prick was left."
2596
Josephus sub-
stitutes the
puff-ball and
cypress;
274
The Story of Amaziah
[bk. II
and, according
to him, the
puff-ball was
cast abroad.
But a fell beeste, which that beside stood,
Off cruel ire and indignaciouw,
With feet disdeynyng the pouder caste abrod
Hih in the air aboute hym envirouM.
The which exaumple conceyued off resoun,
Who that attempteth to clymben hih alofFte,
With onwar chauwg his fall is ful onsofFte.
2613
2616
There is no
congruity be-
tween a thistle
and a cedar or
a cypress and
a puff-ball.
Royalty should
not be married
to persons of
low birth.
Atwen the cedre, off tre[e]s most roiall, [p. 120]
And a sharp thistil is no convenyence, 2620
Nor twen a cipresse, statli* fouwde att all,
And lothsum pouder is a gret difference:
For roial blood sholde ha[ue] non assistence
To be ioyned nor knet in mariage 2624
With such as been brouht foorth ofF low p<2rage.
The cedre is strong & myhti off substau«ce,
In his vpgrowyng riht as any lyne;
And thouh the thistil ha[ue] spottis off plesauwce, 2628
He hath eek prikkis, sharp as any spyne.
And bothe naturis, pleynli to termyne,
The cedre off kynde, who looke[th] weel aboute,
To no thistil* sholde his brauwchis loute. 2632
The cypress is Holsum ofF odout is the fait cipresse,
p"ff-baii' ""^ * As bookis telle, and vertuous off kynde;
wfth'dust anr Dust & pouder, pleynli to expresse,
gets in people's Xj-Qubieth the ait & maketh folkis blynde: 2636
For which in spousaile convenyence to fynde,
Lat estatis off ther berthe honurable,
Voide al raskail & wedde ther semblable.
The thistle, al-
though it has
some good
qualities, also
has pricks as
sharp as a
spine.
Honourable
estates should
avoid rabble.
Amaziah lost
bia temper, and
made war on
Jehoash; but
his men ran
away
But Amazias wolde nat be war
For no warnyng, nor for no prophecie.
But stille in herte gret hatrede [he] bar
Ageyn kyng loas, oflF malice & envie;
Into a* feld brouht al his cheualrie,
Gadred them out, bothe nyh and ferre,
Geyn Godis will on hym to gynwe a werre.
2621. twenl atween H — statli] estatli B, estatly J.
2623. For] Full H — sholde] shal H.
2629. He] & H.
2632. thistil] thouthistil B, H, thouhthistil J, thouthystyl H 5,
thistill R %, thistle P.
2636. air] day H.
2639. al] of H.
2642. he] om. J.
2644. a] the B. 2646. on] geyn H.
2640
2644
BK. Il]
Amaziah's Son Uzziah
275
And kyng loas, ful lik a worthi knyht,
Into the feeld[e} faste gan hym speede;
And alle the knyhtis off luda anon riht
Wer smet off vengaunce with a sodeyn dreede
To bidde hem fle, God wot, it was no neede,
And Amazias, for al his gret[e] pride,
Stood destitut and no man be his side.
With hym was non lefft off al his meyne.
So God and loas ageyn hym wrouhte.
Off Jerusalem entred the cite.
And Amazie off force with hym he brouhte;
And in the temple the tresour out he souhte,
Gold and siluer, and hooli ther richesse;
And to Samarie hom he gan hym dresse.
And Amazias he leet out off prisoun,
Afftir al this, and suffred hym go fre.
To his myscheeff and his confusioun,
He was delyuered from his captiuite;
For slayn he was in Lachis the cite.
Among his freendis be symulacioun.
His deth conspired vnder ful fals tresoun.
2648
and Jehoash
captured him
26.^2
26.^6
and took all
the treasure of
the temple to
Samaria.
2660
Afterwards he
set Amaziah
free, and
Amaziah was
soon after-
, - ward slain in
2004 Lachish.
[How god vpon losias succedyng kjmg next in luda
toke vengeaunce/ smot him wit/i lepre.^ ^
AFFTIR in luda, the myhti regioun,
Next Amazias, losias gan succeede.
Wonder manli & famous of renoun.
In alle his werkis ful prouident in deede.
And off his knyhthod venquisshid, as I reede.
The Palestynes, for al ther gret puissauwce,
With al Arabie he brouht onto vttraunce.
Bike touns and many strong cite,
And onto Egipt he his boundis sette;
Made castelis beside the Rede Se,
And in his conquest, whom that euer he mette,
Off manli pride he ne wolde lette —
I meene alle tho that were his aduersaires —
To his lordshepe to make hem tributaires.
2658. 2nd the] om. H.
2674. vttraunce] myschaunce H.
2681. his] his gret H.
* MS. J. leaf 50 recto.
2668 •■^fter Amaziah,
Uzziah suc-
ceeded, manly
and famous.
2672
He defeated the
Palestines, con-
2676 quered Arabia
and built to'xns
and castles.
2680
276
Uzziah's Obstinacy and Pride
[bk. II
He also rebuilt
Jerusalem,
strengthening
its defences,
and planted
gardens and
vineyards and
grafted trees.
He became very
much dreaded
for his bravery,
and finally
grew proud
and obstinate
to God.
So Fortune de-
cided to assail
him, especially
when he
dressed up like
a bishop out of
pure wanton-
ness and
started to
sacrifice in the
temple, which
vexed
He dede his labour also to repare
lerusalem afFtir his ruyne;
The wallis rered, which on the soil lay bare, 2684
Made newe tour[e]s, riht as any lyne,
Fanys off gold ther torettis tenlumyne,
And tafforce hem, leet werkmen vndertake
Squar bastiles & bolwerkis to make. 2688
He delited to make fressh gardynes,
Dyuers greynes & herbis for to knowe,
R<?ioisshid to plante sundri vynes,
To grifFe trees and seedis for to sowe, 2692
And strauwge frutis [to] make hem growe arowe.
And with hym hadde, his enmyes to encouwbre,
Thre huwdrid thousand manli men in nouwbre.
His noble fame gan to sprede wide, 2696
And gret[e]li drad for his hih prowesse,
Wherthoruh his herte corupt was with pride,
Because onli off his gret richesse;
And frowardli he dede his besynesse 2700
For to maligne in his estat roial
Ageyn the Lord, the which is inmortal.
To God aboue he gan wexe obstynat, [p. 121]
That be processe ful smal he dede wynne; 2704
And sauour cauhte in his roial estat
To folwe his fader in onthrift & synne,
That grace and vertu from hym dede twynne.
In most shynyng off his magnyficence, 2708
Fortune proudli assailed his excellence.
Caste she wolde withynne a litil while
His surquedie & froward pride assaile,
And ful onwarli deceyue hym and begile, 2712
To make his power tappallyn & to faile,
Whan that this kyng took on thapparaile
Off a bisshop, off veray frowardnesse,
And into temple proudli gan hym dresse, 2716
Beyng in purpos, on a solempne day,
To take his way up to the hih auter,
Falsli vsurpyng, who-euer seide nay.
2692. griffe] grifFt H, grift R 3, grafFe P — seede H.
2693. to3 om. P.
2697. hih] om. J. 2702. 2nd the] om. H.
2706. &]&inPI, R3. 2714. that] 07W. H, R 3.
BK. li]
The End of Uzziab
277
2736
To sacrefie, holdyng the censer,
Tofor the auter, that shon of gold ful cleer.
For which offence, the Bible seith the same,
Azarias the bisshop dede hym blame.
Gan withstonde hym in the face anon.
Four score preestis beyng in presence.
Off the kynrede descendid off Aaron,
Which forbad hym & made resistence.
That with his hand he sholde putte incence
Vpon the auter, ageyn[es] Godis lawe,
Hym chargyng boldli his presence to withdrawe.
But off despiht he made them holde ther pes,
In peyne off deth began hem to manace;
And sodenli among[es] al the pres.
An erthequaue fill in the same place.
And therwithal in the kynges face.
Off the Sonne ther smet a bem so briht.
That al his visage was scorkid with the liht.
He wex a lepre, ful foul and riht horible
For his ofFence, as God list ordeyne;
To euery man off look he was terible,
And but fewe his myscheefF gan compleyne.
And a gret hill the same hour karff on tweyne,
Nat ferr a-side from the toun withoute,
Cites destroieng that stood round aboute.
On kyng losie God took his vengaunce.
For al his lordshepe & his magnyficence.
To punyshe his pride & his froward puissaunce,
And brouht hym lowe for his gret offence:
For his persone was put out off presence
Perpetueli, as Hooli Writ can telle,
Fer from al peeple with lepres for to duelle.
His flessh was troubled with dyuers passiouws.
For his siknesse auoided the cite;
In cri and sorwe and lamentaciouns
His liff he ladde, in gret aduersite.
And so he deied in sorwe and pouerte,
Sympli buried, for al his grete myht,
Withynne an iland that stood ferr out of siht.
2720. sacrefie] sacrifise H, sacrifice R 3, P. 2721. shon] om. H.
2722. \ie which H. 2730. boldli] proudly H.
2732. he be gan H. 2737. visage] face P'— scorched P.
2742. the] l)at H. 2758. stood ferr] ferr^- was H.
2720
2724 Bishop Azariah
who, with hii
eighty priests
behind him,
ordered Uzziah
off the premises.
2728
But Uzziah
told them to
2732 hold their
tongues, and
suddenly there
was an earth-
quake, and the
king's face was
scorched by a
ray of the sun
and he became
a leper, and a
hill split in
two and de-
Kroyed cities.
Thus God took
his vengeance.
2740
2744
Uzziah wai
cast down from
his throne and
sent to a lazar
house; and
„ when he died
2740 he was buried
without cere-
mony in an
island.
2752
2756
278 Hoshea captured by Shalmaneser [[bk. ii
f An exortacion to Princis to be auisid to do ageyn
goddis Preceptes.^
Let princes be T AT prvncis all[e] in ther prouidence
careful not to ■ -r. -i 1 i
offend God; -M^^ Be Fiht wcel War any thyng tattame, 2760
repent they wU Which onto God sholde been offence,
suffer for it. j^j^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ conclude to ther shame.
Lat them thynke, for al ther noble fame,
But thel repente, God off his iustise 2764
Ther froward pride onwarH will chastise.
And let them Lat hcm be wat off malice to presume
not meddle • 1*11 1 rr •
with the affairs Ageyn his cherche to doon oitenciouw;
God will not ' For God off riht all tirantis will consume 2768
permit that, j^^ £^j shott tyme for ther presumpcioun.
Which wil nat suffre ther dominacioun
To interupte, for al ther grete myht.
Nor breke the fraunchise off hooli cherches ryht. 2772
Let Uzziah's To prudent pryncis, which that can discerne,
example teach ^ , y . ■ i j i * rr
prudent princes Lat kyng losias, consiared his oirence,
Jever°ence%o Been in ther mynde a merour & lanterne,
holy church, 'p^ hooH cherchc to do due reuerence; 2776
And conceyue in ther magnificence,
God will off riht, be thei neuer so stronge.
Chastise ther malice, thouh he abide longe.
[How kyng Ozie was taken bi kyng Salmanazar
and deied in prisoun.]] ^
Another king, ' I ^HER was a-uother, that callid was
called Hoshea, 1 /-^ • r l ^
was taken by X OziC, [p. I22J 2780
fnl'i^rcrp'tive Which whilom regned, as I afferme dar,
into Assyria, j^^ Israel, whom Fortune be envie
Made hym be take or that he was war,
Besegid aboute off kyng Salmanazar; 2784
And in Tassirie vnder his daunger,
The Bible tellith, he was prisoner.
His towns were His cites, touws btouht to desttucciouw,
peopi7 en slaved, And al his peeple vnder long seruage 2788
di"d of°Sf. Wer take and kept in strong[e] Babilouw,
2772. chirch H. 2783. that] om. H.
2785. vn to Assyrye H, in to Assirie J, R, 3, into Assirle P,
in Tassyrye H 5.
1 The same heading in MS. J. leaf 50 verso.
* MS. J. leaf 50 verso.
angel slew his
men
BK. ii] Sennacherib and Zedekiah 279
SufFred ther gret peyne & gret damage.
And in a presouw, be furious outrage,
This said Ozias, in cheynes bounde sore, 279a
For sorwe deide : ofF hym write I no more.
p5ow Senacheryb kyng of Assirie was slayne.] ^
WITH these forsaid woful kynges thre, ^""^^iSk
Senacherib, off Assirie kyng, upon, com-
/^ T 1 rt 1 1 * plained how he
Cam to lohn oochas, most ougli on to see, 2796 was brought to
Ful pitousli his fate compleynyng. °°"^ ^'
And speciali his onwar chauwgyng
He gan bewaile, oppressid in his thouht.
From hih noblesse how he was brouht to nouht. 2800
His renoun spradde thoruh many dyuers rewm, Kis renown
A 1 !• iir 1 1 r "'^^ gre^U and
And peeplis all[ej gan hym magnefae; he uid siege
A] 1 • 1 T 1 to Jerusalem,
Siege he laide onto lerusalem, but God's
In the tyme off kyng Sedechie. 2804
But in his most froward surquedie,
Godis aungel tofor the cite
An hundrid thousand slouh off his meyne.
And the mor to maken hym afferd, 2808 Jf'^i^fT*^!, .j.
Mid off his peeple, the silue same nyht, » terrifi^ him
Godis aungel shooff awey his herd away and wa$
With a sharp suerd that shon cleer & bryht. byTs^s^nf '°
Leffte his siege & took hym onto flyht; 2812
And in a temple, his goddis worshepyng,
His sonys slouh hym as he sat knelyng.
[How kyng Sedechie/ for fals forsweryng was slayn
and made blynde in prisoun.]] ^
TOUCHYA^G the compleynt of kyng Sedechie, Zcdekiah's nory
- , ~ , . *^ / 1 'is told in the
And oit his sorwes to shewe the maner, 2816 Bible.
Hooli Writ dooth cleerli specefie, jeLiachin and
Wherfore it were but veyn to telle hem heer. chnTrln*were
For ther men may the processe pleynli ler, ]^^^° captive
How loachym, kyng off lerusalem, 2820
His owne brother, was lad out off his rewm.
2794. With] And wit* H, R 3, H 5.
2802. peeple H, peple R 3, pepyll H 5 — peeplis all] all people
P. 2812. onto] to J)e H.
2819. men] ye H — may] om. J.
^ MS. J. leaf 50 verso. * MS. J. leaf 51 recto.
28o
The Pride of Zedekiah
[bK. II
Nebuchad- WhcFofF in hcrte he felte ful gret sor,
grieved This Scdcchias, as it is ther fouwde,
Because the kyng Nabugodonosor
His brother heeld, strong in prisouw bouwde,
Fulli in purpos the lewes to confouwde;
For this tirant hadde in that mortal strifF
His brethre, childre in prisouw, & his wiff.
But when And yit this tirant in his tirannye
nezzar restored This fauour dede in al his fell[e] rage
him to histhrone/~v i • r i o i i •
on condition Unto this mostc wotul bedechie,
of paying a
yearly tribute
to the
Babylonians,
he became
so elated
that he
forgot his
brother and
his friends,
To sufFre hym regne in his gret[e] age,
Fro yeer to yeer to paie hym a truage,
Be feith and oth and composiciouw,
Reised off his peeple & brouht to Babiloun.
Yit Sedechias in especiall,
Be a maner off fals felicite,
HymselfF reioished in his see roiall
To ocupie that noble dignite,
And so forgat the gret aduersite
Off his brother and other freendis all,
Touchyng the myscheeff that thei wer in fall,
and soon QfF pride he fill into presumpciouw,
decided that he,_,, , i-ii'i i oi*i
would not pay Whan he remembrid his brethre & his lynage,
his tribute any r^ 'iii ri ni
longer. Considred how rro kyng balamoun
He was descendid be title off heritage,
Gan disdeyne to paien his truage,
And to maligne, in herte he was so wroth.
And falsli brak his surauwce and his oth.
He thought to He hadde a maner indignaciouw,
"Solomon paid Which he cauhte off old remembraunce,
t°ibu"e was paid How tymc passid, to kyng Salamoun,
shou'id I dolt?" Be his manli prudent gouernauwce,
Kynges aboute for a recognisauwce
Paied tribut, and durst it nat withseie
Fro yeer to yeer his noblesse to obeie.
Which thyng remembrid off kyng Sedechie,
As he wex gret and strong in his puissauwce.
Off hih disdeyn his tribut gan denye.
2824
2828
2832
2836
2840
2844
2848
2852
2856
So he rebelled
against the king
of Babylon,
2828. brethre] brothir H, brother H 5, brethern P — children
P.
2830. his] this H. 2832. hym] hem H.
2838. reioysshyng H. 2844. 2nd his] om. H.
BK. Il]
Zedekiah's Faithlessness and Fall
281
Sette a-side his feith and assuraunce, 2860
So that his oth stood in no substaunce;
For he ageyn the kyng off Babiloun
Presumptuousli fill in rebellious.
And his kyngdam to strengthe & fortefie, [p. 123] 2864 f?^'^'^
Thouhte he wolde to his auauntage
The kyng off Egipt haue on his partie.
Off pride he fill into so gret outrage,
That he no mor wolde paien his truage; 2868
But fynali such weies he hath souht,
That off his oth litil he rouhte or nouht.
king of Egypt,
went back on
his promised
word.
But O alas, it is a doolful thyng
To be remembred, in hih or low degre,
That any prynce or any worthi kyng
Sholde false his oth or ontrewe be;
Or that men sholde such variaunce see
In ther corages, which been so hih[e] bom,
For any cause falsli to be forsworn.
Be report it doth ther fame trouble,
Infortuneth and clipseth ther noblesse.
Whan a prynce is ofl^ his heste double,
And chargith nat, ofl"^ wilful reclesnesse,
Al-be his promys conclude on doubilnesse.
Thouh God a while suffre hem and respite.
At onset hour ther falsnesse he will quite.
His wamyng ofFte he sent to them afFor,
Because thei lacke prudent policie.
Record I take off Nabugodonosor,
Which cam onwarli on kyng Sedechie,
For he his tribut gan falsli hym denye;
With al his power, as he dede abraide,
To Jerusalem a myhti siege he laide.
Thei withynne constreyned were off neede.
The kyng hymsilfF, ther was no bett difFence,
With manys flessh his peeple for to feede,
Whil the Caldeies be myhti violence,
Off verai force, withoute resistence,
On fals forsweryng for to taken wrake,
Ther myhti tour[e]s and ther wallis brake.
which is
a shameful thing
2872 for any prince
or king to do.
2876
It injure* their
good name and
eclipses their
noblesse, and
2880 God is sure to
punish them
for it.
2884
2888
The result was,
that Nebu-
chadnezzar
suddenly de-
scended
on Zedekiah,
2892 '*i<^ siege to Je-
rusalem, starved
the Jews into
eating one
another, de-
stroyed the city
and killed most
2896 °^ ^^^ people-
2879. Infortunatith R 3 — eclipsith H, R 3.
2888. on] vpon H. 2894. peeplis H.
282 The End of Zedekiah [bk. II
Zedekiah was To slcii and killc thei list non for to spare,
put in chains, __^, , . . , .,
his children slain, Whom-euer thci mette or cam in ther siht; 2900
handeTover to Scdcchias IcfFtc the toun al bare,
hireyfs"ent°out. But take hc was, as he hym took to fliht,
In cheynys bouwde and fetrld anon riht,
In whose presence, tencrece his peynes anon, 2904
His yonge childre were slay[e]n euerichon.
His wyues all, most woful ofF ther cheres,
Which in ther tyme most goodli were and fair,
Delyuered wern in handis ofFstrauwgeres; 2908
And mor, alas, to putte hym in dispair.
Into his kyngdam neuer to ha[ue] repair.
With sharp[e] tonges, it was to gret a peyne.
Out off his hed wer rent his eien tweyne. 2912
His city Off lerusalem his cite was ibrent
Jerusalem was _., ^ . , . i i j
burnt to the rleyn to* the ground mto assnes dede.
treasure sent to His gret richesse, his tresour hooli sent
|ed''m"se?rbiy ' To Babilouw, with stonys bleu and rede; 2916
in prison. Vcsselis ofF gold, which richest wer in deede,
Withoute merci or remissiouw,
Caldeies took to ther possessiouw.
That is what And thus in sotwe and in wrechidnesse 2920
perjury leads to. tt i • i i r i •
He deied, alas, tetred m prisoun.
Loo, heer the eende off periurie & falsnesse!
Loo, how Fortune can turnen vp-so-dou«
Off mortal men the condicioun: 2924
Now richest shynyng in* prosperite.
With onwar chauwg to hatful pouerte.
What do royal Now men Icfft up to roial dignites,
people who are Now hih aloffte be fulsum habundauwce: 2928
themT""^^ '° But what auaileth to sitte in roial sees
To folk that han therin non assurauwce,
Namli whan Fortune holdeth the balaunce.
Which ay off custum onto hih estatis 2932
Hath a fals ioie to shewen hir chekmatis.
Record I take off pryncis mo than on,
uStaiT became Ther woful fatis hanging in iupartie,
dieTIn ^fs^^'.^'^Remembrid late, and among echon 2936
2904. peyn H.
2913. ibrent] brent J.
2914. to] into B, J, H, P, H 5 — the] om. H 5.
2925. in]inhih B, J, in hygh H S- 2930. have H.
2935. hangyng] havyng H.
BK. ii] King Astyages and bis Grandson Cyrus
The woful fal off kyng Amazie,
His sone eek lepre, which callid was losie,
And last off all[e], how in Babiloun,
Kyng Sedechias deied in prisoun. 2940
283
^ Lenvoye.
NOBLE Pryncis, considreth the fallas
Off Fortunys froward flat[e]rie;
Seeth hir deceites in many dyu^rs cas,
How she first mokkid manh Amazie, 2944
Which slay[e]n was for his surquedie
To yeue you wamyng, bexaumple as ye may reede,
Whan ye sit hiest, your fal is most to dreede.
And as it is remembred* in Bochas, [p. 124]
Eek in the Bible off the kyng losie,
In his tyme how famous that he was
Bothe off richesse and off cheualrie,
Punshed with lepre, bookis specefie.
For his presumyng: remembrith this in deede,
Whan ye sit hiest, yowr fal is most to dreede.
Al worldli glorie* fleeth hens a gret[e] pas,
I take witnesse off kyng Sedechie;
For fals forsweryng he slay[e]n was, alas!
Maad blynd in prisoun; this story cannat lie.
Thus sheweth Fortune, thoruh hir froward envie.
To you, Pryncis, yif ye list taken heede, 2960
Whan ye sit hiest, your fal is most to dreede.
[How kyng Astriages labored to disherite Cirus/ but
god suffrid his malice not to preuaile.J ^
A FFTIR these kynges, on folwed in the pres,
-^^ And gan to Bochaj- his cowpleynt discure;
And he was callid the grete Astriages,
Which tolde in ordre his vnkouth auenture,
Lord off Asie, as bookis us assure.
And hadde off tresour duryng al his liff
A-boue alle kyuges a prerogatiff. 2968
2948. is remembred] remembreth B, remembrith J, H 5.
2949. 2nd the] om H. 2955. gloire B. 2958. this] his H.
2963. to discure H. 2964. Astiages P.
^ MS. J. leaf 51 verso.
Noble Princes,
when you sit
highest, then it
your fall most to
be dreaded.
2048 Remember how
Uzziah was pun-
ished for his
presumption.
2952
and how King
Zedekiah was
2956 slain for
forswearing.
After these
kings followed
Astyages, the
richest mince of
2904 his tim?
284 '^he Dream of Astyages [bk. ii
He lacked Most foFtunat in al his gouernaile,
nothing but a „ , ~, „ ,
male heir, T Cite oiT T OFtunc non aducrsite,
SaufF an heir male, nothyng dede hym faile;
For he most glorious sat in his roial see: 2972
Off worldli welthe he lakked no plente,
Except onli, as clerkis off hym write,
He hadde no sone his kyngdam tenherite,
and once dreamt Which to his welthe was gtct disencres, 2976
of a vine that ^ • r •! i • i • i
grew, and a Lest succcssiouw tailed m his lyne.
cie'a?'^slX!' A douhter had he callid Mundanes,
daughter^' '"^'^"^ ofF whos wombe, as bookis determyne,
womb^b^'th ^^ drempte a-nyht[e] how he sauh a vyne 2980
spreading over Jn his auesiouw, with hym so it stood,
Ouer al Asie his braunchis spredde abrod.
He hadde also a reuelaciouw,
Slepyng a-nyht[e] afFtir his souper, 2984
Thouh he nat knew thexposicioun,
He thouhte he sauh a cristallyn ryuer.
With lusti watris, as any berell cleer,
Out off hir wombe, with his stremys fressh 2988
The soil of Asie make tendre and nessh.
and could not Touchyng this reucr and this lusty vyne
understand what ,._ , -^ °, , . , .
it meant, 1 o hym shcwed in his auisiouw,
Withynwe hymsilfF he coud[e] nat termyne, 2992
TherofF to fynde no cleer conclusioun
Withoute sum maner exposiciouw
To hym declared be folkis in sentence.
Which ofF such dremys hadde experience. 2996
until his To hym he callid his astronomeris,
philosophers and __. i .i- i i i • i
diviners His philisophres and his dyuynours.
That knew the meuyng ofF the nyne speeris,
Ymages ofF sterris, ther houses & ther tours; 3000
And such as wern expert expositours.
And whan thei wern assemblid euerichon,
Touchyng his drem thei corded all in on.
told him that his To telle hym trouthe thei wer nat rec[e]les, — 3004
havl rwn,°by Saide his douhter, fro whom ther cam a vyne,
he°wlw beput She that be name was callid Mundanes,
dom°^ ThUwa. Sholde haue a sone descendyng from his lyne,
to be his fate. Whos noble fame thoruh Asia sholde shyne, 3008
Which sholde [hym] putte, thoruh his hih renoun,
Be* force ofF armys out ofF his regioun.
3009. hym] om. J — hym putte] pull hym H.
31 10. Be] Hym be B, j — armys] hys armes P.
BK. ii] Astyages marries bis Daughter to Cambyses 285
This was his fate; he myhte it nat refuse, whereupon he
The heuenli cours but it dede faile. 3012 woiSd t^y^o
Wherupon he sore gan to muse, *^°"^ "'
Such fantasies dede his herte assaile;
Fill in gret doubte off ther dyuynaile,
Thouhte he wolde make purueiaunce 3016
For to withstonde Godis ordenaunce.
Ful hard it is to make resistence although men
Geyn thyng ordeyned, whan God will that it be; Slye^^hT*
And namli ther, wher as influence 3020 '^'^^'^^•
Off heuene aboue hath shape a destyne:
Sum men recorde that no man may it fle.
The doom off this, wher that it holde or flitte,
Tastronomeris al hooli I committe. 3024
This said[e] kyng, off whom I spak but late, So the kin«
Caste he wolde, for his auauntage, to ^\\%
The ordenaunce reuersen and the fate s^mf^r.V
Off the heuene, with al the surplusage, 3028 S?*""'''^
And yeue his doubter as in mariage
To sum onworthi poore infortunat
That neuer were likli to rise to hih estat.
And in this wise, kyng AstriageS [p. 125] 3032 and married her
Maried his doubter, as in his entent, n°amed a°rS'^
To on onworthi callid Cambises, ttTght n^uity
Deemyng therbi, be short auysement, ^d notV°°^
Withynne hymselff that he was riht prudent, 3036 gr"iateut
Wenyng that noblesse cam be discent off blood, such men as
And nat be grace, nor as the heuene stood. posJ^ ^°
moral virtue.
In his resoun was nat comprehendid.
How Socrates, maistir off Platoun, 3040
Off ful low bed bi berthe was descendid.
And nat tenherite kyngdam nor regioun,
■But for to haue fulli possessioun
Off moral vertu and philosophic, 3044
Duryng his liff his witt he dede applie.
He souhte contrees for wisdam and science, discovered that
And secre cunnynges to serch[e] dede his peyne; imm^,^r"
And he fond out thoruh his deligence, 3048
3012. faile] falle H.
3022. men] om. H. 3025. saide] same H.
3031. likli] like H. 3041. bi berthe] om. H.
286
Royalty depends on the Grace of God [^bk. ii
This philisophre, as bookis acerteyne,
To ioie reserued outher onto peyne,
Be grace off God, which is eternall,
How menys soulis be fouwde ay inmortall. 3052
and was judged The gFcte Appollo, ill bookis it is founde,
by Apollo to be --, ~,T ~, . i m
the wisest GaiT lugemeiit oft equite and riht,
hUtime!*""^ That Socrates in vertu most habouwde.
And most preferrid in eueri manys siht, 3056
Was callid ofFwisdam the lanterne & the liht,
And wisest named, at evyn and at pryme,
Off phiHsophres that wer in his tyme.
and Euripides, The poete also calHd Euripides, 3060
most honourable Most honoutable calHd in that age,
mo\her^was'^ Al-be his mooder ofF lifF was rec[e]les
wrote ma*n°/ And contagious thoruh vicious outrage:
tort" tmh Yit was this poete, for al his vil lynage, 3064
to all. Mosl vertuous fouwden at assaies,
OfF alle poetis that wer in his daies.
Callid in his tyme a gret tragician.
Because he wrot many tragedies, 3068
And wolde ofF trouthe spare no maner man,
But hem rebuken in his poetries,
Touchyng the vices ofF flesshli fantasies,
Compleyne in pryncis ther deedis most horible, 3072
And ech thyng punshe that was to God odible.
Demosthenes, A-nother clerk callid Demostenes,
greatest of _,, ,.,,..
rhetoricians, 1 fie moste subtil retfioncian,
man, yet he^'i^s And most inuentifF among al the pres, 3076
That euer was sithe[n] the world began,
Al-be ofF berthe he was a poore man,
Yit hadde he most souereyn excellence
Mong philisophres ofF speche & eloquence. 3080
So it would seem Be which exauwplc, me semeth dout[e]les,
that royal blood _,, • i i i j i i M l
and high lineage 1 fiat roial blood, uoutfier fiih lynage
are of but small rr> i i .11^ 1
advantage with- 1 o meuMys berthe yeueth but smal encres,
gn the grace of ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ jj^jj ^uaUWtage I 3084
For hih noblesse taketh nat his corage
OIF riche nor poore, nor statis souereyne.
But ofF his grace, as God list to ordeyne.
3056. euerij any H.
3073. punysh H, punnysch R 3, punysshed H 5, punishe P.
3074. Domestenes J. 3082. nouther] nor J, P.
the most
eloquent.
BK. Il]
The Childhood of Cyrus
287
Wherfore, ofF foli kyng Astriages,
Contrariousli ageyn al gent[e]rie,
Bad that his douhter callid Mundanes,
First whan folk with childe hir dede espie,
For tacomplishe his froward fantasie,
Whan it wer born, chargyng aboue all thyng,
Off Archanye to bem it to the kyng.
Which in that tyme was callid Arpagus;
And, as I fynde, he dede in vertu floure.
And pite* hadde, the story tellith thus.
That beestis sholde the litil child deuoure.
But God that may in myscheeff best socoure,
To keepe the child was nat rek[e]les,
Ageyn the malice off kyng Astriages,
Which hadde comaundid off malice & hatreede,
How that this child, greene & tendre off age,
Bi Arpagus sholde be cast in deede
To be deuoured off beestis most sauage.
But for he dradde to doon so gret outrage.
To his shepperde, hymselff to stonde at large,
The child to slen he fulli gaff the charge.
3088 Astyages was
^ foolish and not
a gentleman, for
he commanded
Mandane's new-
bom child to be
taken to Har-
pagus to be cart
3092 out to wild
beasts.
3096
3100
But Harpagus
was afraid to
put the child to
death and told
3104 his shepherd to
do it.
3108
[How yong Cirus was in to the Forest/ cast with
bestys to be devoured.^ ^
THIS heerdeman, albe that he was loth
To execute this woful auenture,
Inta forest foorth with the child he goth,
And gaff to beestis that litil creature;
Whom to fostre, be grace ageyn nature,
A wilde bichche hir whelpis ther forsook.
And to hir pappis the litil child she took.
And with hir mylk she made hym suppe &
dyne, [p. 126]
And bisi was fro* hym to enchace
Wilde foulis and beestis sauagyne,
3091, did hir H.
3094, Hircanye P. 3095. Harpagus P.
3097. pite] spiht B, J, spyte P.
3102. hadde] om. H. 3108. 2nd the] in H.
3111. Inta] In to a H, J, R 3, H 5, P.
3117. fro] for B, H, H 5. 3118. bestis & foulis H.
* MS. J. leaf 52 recto, in margin.
The shepherd,
although un-
willing, took the
child into a
forest, where it
was suckled by
31 12 a wild bitch.
Behold how God
can preserve in-
3 1 16 nocents from
injury!
288 Cyrus preserved by a Wild Bitch [bk. ii
That non ne durste neihhen to that place.
Loo, how that God disposer! can his grace, 3120
Innocentis fro myscheefF to preserue
Geyn fals envie, which wolde make hem sterue!
JnnaS^iTcf' O blood onkyndc, founden in kynreede,
murdlr^f child" ^^^ couetisc, O blood disnaturall 3124
°n^^hom^even Off falg malice, O blood ful off hatreede! —
pity! To moordre a child born off the stok roiall!
Wher manys resoun is turned bestiall,
Falsli transfourmed onto cruelte, 3128
To slen a child wher beestis han pite!
EdsmTn'^oid The celi heerde hath told his wifFthe cas;
the "^hud^^nd ^"^ ^^ ^"*^" °ff P^*^ ^^^^ arise,
she went' with With hir husbonde wente a ful eret pas 313a
him to the forest _ ip iiii ii-
to see it, and Into the totest, beholdyng al the guise,
amis' '° " As heer-tofor[e]n ye han herd deuyse,
Seyng the child, with lippis tendre & sofFte,
The bichchis pappis how he sok ful offte. 3136
The said[e] heerde callid Sparagos,
His wifF also, off whom toforn I tolde.
This yonge child took in ther depos;
And in hir armys she sofFtli gan it folde. 3140
And he ful goodli hir face gan beholde,
And on his maner in the same while,
In childli wise on hir gan to smyle.
and fed it. The childcs lauhtre whan she dede aduerte, 3144
wild bitch stood With al hir hool[e] feithful dilligence
angn y at ay gj^^ ^^^ ^^ chcrishe it, and with al hir herte
She gafF it souk, with ful gret reuerence,
Albe the bichche made resistence, 3148
Compleynyng stood felli at abay,
The litil child whan she sauh lad away.
and howled Ful pitousH she gan to houle and crie,
when she earned .J ■, iirii i
it home with her. At ther dcpartyng dooltully compieyne, 3152
And afFtir them ful faste gan to hie,
The child to lete she felte so gret a peyne.
Loo, how that God oiF merci can ordeyne
A cruel beeste such sorwe for to make, 3156
And so to mourne for a childes sake!
3137. Spargos P. 3153- to3 she H.
BK. Il]
Gyms' Life is preserved
289
But eueri thyng that God will ha[ue] preserued,
Ne may nat faile to stonde in sekimesse.
His secre doomys been to hymsilfF reserued;
Ther can no man expowne hem, as I gesse.
For he shoop first that this shepperdesse,
Off Sparagos the trewe poore wiff,
For to be mene to saue the childes liff.
Horn to hir hous the child she ladde anon,
And it to fostre dede hir besynesse:
Off othir salari, God wot, knew she non,
Sauff that hir herte therto dede hir dresse.
And mor enterli, the story berth witnesse.
She tendrid hym, and with mor besi cure,
Than hym that was hir child bom off nature.
And as the story pleynli doth expresse,
This yonge child, as he wex in age.
Fro day to day encreced in noblesse,
Lik for to been riht manli off corage.
Cirus callid he was in that language,
To seyne in Latyn pleynli in substaunce,
A man ibom to gret enheritaunce.
And whan the renoun off his excellence
Bi long processe, and off his gret encres
Cam be report onto the audience
Off his aiel, the grete Astriages,
And how the kyng was founde rech[e]Ies,
Callid Arpagus, for to do vengauwce
On yonge Cirus, he fill in displesaunce.
This is to meene Astriages was wroth,
That Arpagus was founde merciable
Cirus to saue, and for that he was loth
Ageyn[e]s al riht for to be vengable
To slen a child, a thyng nat comendable, —
Demyng off trouthe in his conscience,
God was nat paied, to moordre innocence.
Astriages caste hym to be wreke
On Arpagus be fals collusioun.
Because that he his biddyng dede breke,
And was contraire to his entencioun
Cirus to slen, ageyn[es] al resoun.
And for that cause Astriages, I reede,
Off Arpagus leet slen the child in deede.
What God
wishes preserved
is safe. God
saw to ii that
3160 the shepherdess
rescued the
child out of the
goodness of
her heart.
3164
She cared for
him better than
if he had been
her own.
3168
^172 Th*y named
him Cyrus,
which means in
Latin a man
bom to great
inheritance.
3176
When Astyages
heard of all
3180 this, he was
• furious with
Harpagus
3184
because he did
not kill Cyrus;
3188
3192
so he slew
Harpagus' son
out of revenge.
3196
290
Cyrus and Harpagus
[bk. II
and had him
roasted and
served up to
his father at
table, a most
lamentable
thing to do.
This to seyne, be ful fals compassyng [p. 127] 3200
And couert moordre, wrouht bi Astriages,
The sone was slayn off Arpagus the kyng,
And afFtir rested, alias, ful causeles,
And sithe presentid, amongis al the pres, 3204
Toforn his fader, a thyng most lamentable,
With Astriages as he sat at* table.
When Harpagus But whan this kyng callid Arpagus
found out this ^^ iiii- i mi
horrible murder, Conceyued hath this moordre most terrible, 3208
a rage And how his sone & heir was slay[e]n thus.
In his ire most furious and odible,
In al the haste that it was possible.
He is repaired horn to his houshold, 3212
And al the cas to Cirus he hath told.
And how his sone was slay[e]n for his sake,
In the most hatful odious cruelte,
Excityng hym with hym to vndirtake 3216
On this fals moordre auengid for to be,
To hym declaryng off trouthe & equite.
How he was bor[e]n be discent in deede.
As riht[e] heir to regne in Perse & Mede. 3220
To hym declaryng the stori bi and bi.
First off the drem off Astriages,
And how that he be fraude ful falsli
Made his doubter, callid Mundanes, 3224
Poorli be weddid onto Cambises,
Which was his mooder, & how in tendre age
He was out cast to beestis ful sauage.
All things that Be a shcpperde and a shepperdesse 3228
God disposes t-> i i • ^r l ^
must come to Fostted he was m gret[ej pouerte,
wa'sVeordarn'^d And brouht fro beestis out off wildirnesse,
ruie^r'of Til Asia. Because God wolde he sholde saued be:
For thilke Lord, which euery-thyng may see, 3232
Whan that he hath a thyng aforn disposid,
Nedis it mut fall & may nat be deposid.
This said[e] Cirus, at his natyuyte,
Ordeyned was be reuolucioun 3236
Off the heuenli speeris, in noumbre thries thre,
(So stood that tyme his constellaciouw,)
and told Cyrus
what had hap-
pened, urging
him to take
vengeance and
telling him that
he was the
lawful heir to
Astyages' king-
dom, and how
his grandfather
had cast him
out to be eaten
by wild beasts.
3206. at] attheB, H s, P.
3215. odious hateful! H.
3233. aforn] be for H.
3 1 19. How] owi. R 3, P.
BK. Il]
Cyrus born to be King of Asia
291
That he sholde haue the domynacioun
Ouer al Asie, be influence dyuyne,
Aforn figured be spredyng off the vyne.
What may the fraude off sleihti folk auaile,
Innocentis to putte out off ther riht?
Thouh trouthe be hid amongis the poraile,
Hard brouht foorth, & dar nat shewe his Hht,
Yit God will ordeyne that the bemys briht
Shal sum o day shewe out his cleemesse,
Maugre all tho that wolde his title oppresse.
For this Cirus, as clerkis off hym write,
Was hi the title off his mooder side
Bom to be kyng al Asie tenherite,
Al-be his aiel from hym wolde it deuide;
But God, that can for trouthe best prouide,
Hath for Cirus be processe so ordeyned.
That he off Asie the lordshep hath atteyned.
Cirus that tyme was growe up weel on lengthe,
Weel proporciownyd off membris & stature.
Wonder delyuer, & passyng oflf gret strengthe,
Straunge emprises proudli to endure;
And to iuparte & putte in auenture
His owne persone, the fame was ofF hym so,
Was non mor likli wher men sholde haue a-do.
And bi the counsail ofi" kyng Arpagus,
Whan this Cirus was weel waxe in age.
With Perciens proude & surquedous.
And Archanytes cruel off corage.
For to recure his rihtful heritage
Be go with Cirus, armed in plate & maile.
With Astriages to holden [a] bataile.
And he ageynward gan to taken heede.
And with hym took[e] many worthi knyht.
With al the puissaunce off the lond off Mede
Hath take the feeld the same dai foorth-ryht,
To disherite Cirus off his ryht.
But God and trouthe was atwen hem tweyne
Egal iuge ther quarel to dareyne.
3241. spredyng] spryngj'ng H.
3256. up weel on] wele vpon H.
3259. Straunge] Strong H.
3269. a]om. J, P.
3240
What can the
fraud of men
avail to rob
innocents of
3244 their rights?
3248
3252
Cyrus wa» bom
to be king of
Asia, and in
spite of Asty-
ages, God's will
prevailed.
72?6 Cjmjs grew up
into a strong,
well-built man
3260
and by Har-
pagus' advice
3264 set out to give
battle to Asty-
ages.
3268
Astyages took
the field the
same day, with
all the power of
3272 Media,
3276
292 Cyrus conquers Astyages [[bk. II
but Cyrus won. The fccld ordcyncd, & splaied ther baneris,
On outher parti ful proudli on thel sette,
At thassemblyng lik liouws off ther cheris,
In the face as thei fersli mette 3280
With rouwde speris, ful sharp[e] grouwde & whette,
Til that Cirus, off grace mor than noumbre,
Off his aiel the parti dede encouwbre.
and, pursuing his This myhti Citus, this yonge champiouM, [p. 128] 3284
ages prisoner. Thoruhout the fecld gan such a slauhtre make,
With his knyhtis as he wente up and doun,
That as the deth his fomen hym forsake.
Astriages vnder his baner take, 3288
The feeld venquysshid, for al his fals veynglorie.
To shewe that riht hath alwey the victorie.
A man may A man off malice may a thyng purpose
purpose a thmg _^. r ^ i
of malice, but Bi a maner iroward prouydence; 3292
disposes, Tud" But God a-boue can graciousli dispose
wbs^intend. Ageyn such maUce to make resistence:
Men for a while may suffre violence
And wronges grete, wher-so that thei weende, 3296
But trouthe alway venquysshith at the eende.
fhaYhls'dream'^ Astriagcs fond ful sooth his drem;
?™h"oTman* Thouh he agcyn it made purueiance
is no match for To hauc* dcpryued Cirus off his rem, 3300
God's power. ^ t ^ i • l • J
He was deceyued m his ordynance:
For wher that God thoruh his myhti puissance
List for heires iustli to prouide,
Sleihte in such cas off man, is leid a-side. 3304
covSd^the'iand Maugte the myht[e] off Astriages,
°| Media, and^ Cirus on hym made a disconfiture;
in peace. And al Asic reioisshcd eek in pes.
Off verai riht, as was his auenture. 3308
And be iust title he dede also recure
The lond off Mede, lik as was his fate.
And into Perse he dede it hool translate.
ve^nTfur°Ind' Agcyn his aiel he was nat vengable, 3312
gave his 'grand- Which hadde wrouht to his destrucciouw,
father the fourth j • i i
partofArchania, But was to hym benygnc and merciable,
And grauwtid hym, off hool affeccioun,
The fourte part off the regioun 3316
3300. To haue] Ta B. 3315. graunted] growndid H.
BK. ii] Princes, do not oppose the Will of God 293
Off Archanye, off which afom I tolde,
Hym to sustenyn in his daies olde.
For kyng Cirus wold[e] nat his lyue °« did he wish
Suffre his aiel, off veray gentilesse, 3320 pnved of idngiy
nni ^ i_iji_ c I'J honour. Prince*
1 hat men sholde hym tynah depryue should always
Off kyngli honour, for non onkynd[e]nesse, — jnnl^^S'
To yeue exauwple to pryncis in sothnesse, mercy.
Thouh God ha[ue] youe hem power in erthe &
myht, 3324
Thei sholde ay merci medle with the ryht.
[^ Lenvoye.]
NOBLE Princis, your eris doth enclyne, Nobic Pnnces,
.| .... ,. . consider how
And considreth m your discreciouns, dreams shewn
How dremys shewed binfluence dyuyne 3328 encea^fike "'
Be nat lik sweuenys, but lik auysiouns, whkh^'wiii
Or resemblable to reuelaciouns,* trf™'^w'°
Which thouh men wolde distourbe & make faile,
God wil nat suffre ther malice to preuaile. 3332
Astriages drempte he sauh a vjme, Astyages* dream
Shewed off trouthe and non illusiouns, spite of aU his
From his doubter wombe, riht as lyne, disbherit
Spred in Asie ouer the regiouns; 3336 ^^^^
But to disherite be fals collusiouns
Yonge Cirus, the kyng dede his trauaile,
But God nat suffred his malice to preuaile.
Pryncis remembreth, ye that in honour shyne, 3340 Ff*"^.'' f=™ef°-
Vpon this stori in your entenciouns, and when God is
And beth weelwillid, wher God list forthrif a lyne va?ce a Sie\o
Outher to richesse or dominaciouns, I<rnot°oppoTe"
To fauour them to ther promociouns, — 3344 ^'* '^'^'
Be nat contrarie in your acquitaile,
Sithe God will suffre no malice to preuaile.
3317. afom] tofom H.
3327. considre H.
3330. reuelaciouns] reuolucioutis B, J, P, R 3, reuolucyons H [
3331. distourbe] distroble H, distrouble R 3.
3335. IjTie] any lyne H.
11 A A. nromvrinims H.
294 '^be Story of Candaules King of Lydia [bk. ii
[How Candalus kyng of Lide was made Cokewold /
and aftir slayn.] ^
As Bochas sat TTT'HIL lohn Bochas caste his look a-side,
writing in his V V T l • i • i
study, Candau- T T in his stuQic as he sat writvng, xxsi
les, king of rp , . , , a- T • f
Lydia, came 1 o fiis presence cam the kyng oit Lide
pre^nwTndb^ CalHd Candalus, ful pitousli pleynyng,
tXheX'of With salte teris ful lowli besechyng,
ce°vedan7ma1ic ^^^^ ^^ wolde, tasswagen his greuaunce, 3352
a cuckold by His dedH sorwe to putte in remembraunce.
(jyges, a knight *^
of his household, jjjg compleynt was most ofF onkynd[e]nesse,
For fals deceit, ageyn al skile and riht,
That wher his trust was most off gentilesse, 3356
He mokkid was, for al his gret[e] myht;
For off his hous ther was a certeyn knyht,
Giges callid, thyng shamful to be told,
To speke pleyn Inglissh, made hym a cokold. 3360
But I should not Alas, I was nat auysid weel beforn,
have used such ^_ ,. , ,,
a coarse word! Uncunwyngli to spekc such language;
sa?d1ie had a^^ I sholdc ha Said, how that he hadde an horn,
t°aT called^ oTr- Or souht sum tee[r]me with a fair visage 3364
nuto. Texcuse my rudnesse off this gret outrage,
As in sum land Cornodo men them call,
And summe afFerme how such folk ha[ue] no gall.
It happened This was the cas: whan Pheb^j shon [ful]
thus: One sum- , . ^
merdaythe shcCne [p. I29J 3368
queen lay nri • 1 •
naked on her 1 he somet sesouw m his ascencioun,
^^' Whan soote brauwchis wer clad in newe greene,
Heete inportable hadde domynaciouw.
Whan that the queen for recreacioun, 3372
Onprouyded that no man dede hit keepe,
Vpon hir bed lay naked for to sleepe.
and, as scholars And, as cletkis ofF hir beute write,
say, there was _-,, , - .
no fairer 1 her was a-iyue no tairere creature, 3376
creature alive;
Nor mor excellyng, lik as thei endite,
OfF semlynesse, hir stori doth assure:
3350. Candaules P.
3356. That] Til H. 3359. be told] beholde'H.
3364. teerme] teeme J, P, term H, terme H 5, tym R 3.
3369. The] This H.
3377. lik] of looke H.
1 MS. J. leaf 53 verso.
BK. ii] Candaules and Gyges bis Knight 295
CalHd for beute cosyn to Nature,
And worthi eek, ylfF I shal nat feyne, 3380
To be comparid to Griselde* or Eleyne.
Kynde in hir forge list nothyng to erre, ^f nat""
,17-i II- I I • did not blunder
Whan she hir wrouhte, bi gret auysynesse, when she
To make off beute the veray lode-sterre, 3384 «ce"p^t thar'she
And yeue hir fauour, beute & semlynesse; £^1^6? "'*"
But for Nature hadde so gret besynesse
To fourme a woman that was so fressh of hewe,
She hadde forgete for to make hir trewe. 3388
Hir eyen wer verai celestiall, she had
Hir her ontressid, lik Phebwj in his speer, — golden hair, an
A thyng rasemblyng that were inmortall, unfxampied ^""^
So angehk she was off look and cheer, 3392 ^tur^n^gieSd
An exauwplaire off port & off maneer, — ^ give her
T*! i» r -K ' constancy.
Ther was no lak, sauf Nature, thoruh hir slouthe,
Hadde lefft behynde to yeue hir feith & trouthe.
And on a day, as she lay slepyng 3396 That day Can-
Naked a-bedde, most goodli on to siht, hertoGyg^s.
Ful onwarli cam Candalus the kyng SuM Llt^hat
Into the chaumbre, wher Titan shon ful bryht, [l^auTffuiThan
And shewed hir beute onto his owne knyht, 3400 »"otherwomen.
Off entent he sholde ber witnesse
How she excellid all othir in faimesse.
And whan Giges gan in ordre see But Gyges feii
Off this queen the gret[e] excellence, 3404 Md°''»^n"afte/'
He was enamoured vpon hir beute J^dla'^ried'hlr.
Al the while he stood ther in presence,
Gan ymagyne a tresoun in silence.
To slen his lord, withoute long tarieng, 3408
Wynne the queen, and afftir regne as kyng.
This was the eende, doolful and pitous, That wa» the
To be remembrid hatful and terrible, fe^^ who^wasl"
Off this noble worthi Candalus; 3412 ?,t^r^^^'
For off his trust to moche he was credible
Onto Giges, the traitour most odible.
And yit mor foltissh, wherbi he lost his liff.
Outward to shewe the beute off his wiff. 3416
3381. Gresilde B, Grisilde J, P, Griselde H, Grysilde R 3,
Gresylde H 5.
3385. beutefauottrj — beute] ow. P. 3391. Immortall H.
3396. day] bedde H. 34CXD. his] hir H.
296
The Story of King Midas
[bk. II
Alas that a Thouh shc wcFC fair & goodli on to see,
queen or princess _,, °
should do such 1 hcF WES HO trust nOF HO sekimcsse,
only' excuse is For Other hadde as good[e] part as he, —
makes them Gigcs koudc here therofF witnesse.
double. Alas, a queen, or any gret pryncesse
Assente sholde hir fame for to trouble,
But yifF Nature excuse hem to be double.
3420
[How what thing kyng Midas touched was golde/
yitt deied he in misery and wrecchidnesse.] ^
Gyges was soon
afterwards
crowned king
of Lydia.
Midas next
appeared, and,
weeping, told
Bochas his
complaint.
BUT who-so-euer was therwith loth or fayn,
Giges was afPtir crownyd kyng off LIde,
Whan that his lord was be tresoun slayn.
Off hym the surplus Bochas set a-side.
And in his studi, as he dede abide,
Ther cam off Frige, Midas the riche kyng.
Told myn auctour his compleynt with wepyng.
Never was there Fot thet was neuer, be conquest nor labour,
When he was No kyng afom that hadde mor richesse,
bom, ants laid
grams
of -wheat Nor mor plente off gold nor off tresour.
about his cradle. ^^ whose berthe poetis thus expresse:
A-boute his cradel amptis gan hem* dresse,
Whil he slepte, and gan a-boute hym leyn
A ful gret nouwbre off purid whete greyn.
and diviners Whcrupon, most cxpcrt dyuynouts,
the conclusion As thei took heed in ther attend auwce,
that he would 01 r i L ^ '^
excel all men in buch as wer[ejn best expositours,
wealth. Saide it was a tokne off habundaunce.
To haue off richesse al maner suffisaunce,
And concludyng, pleynli gan to tell.
How he alle other in tresour sholde excell.
It was also said Poetis off hym wrot that were ful olde,
that Bacchus
granted his
request, that
whatever he
touched would
turn to gold.
3424
3428
3432
3436
3440
3444
How Bachus gaff hym — the myhti God of wyn, —
What he toucheth shal turnen into golde
As good as that which cam out off the myn, 3448
At all assaies to been as pur and fyn.
This request, as writ Ouidius,
Was onto Midas grau7itid off Bachus.
3435. hem] hym B. 3437. A] om. H.
1 MS. J. leaf 53 verso.
BK. Il]
Midas and his Golden Touch
297
He thouhte gold myhte hym most auaile
What he handlid was gold with touchyng,
But whan hunger his stomak gan assaile,
His bred, his mete was cleer gold in shewyng;
And whan he gan to faile off his fedyng,
And fond in gold no recour to escape,
Besouhte Bachus sum remedi to shape.
Bachus bad hym go bathe in a ryuer
To wasshe a-way the colour aureat,
Wher yit is shewed the goldi grauel cleer.
Which exaumple declareth to ech estat.
That gold alone maketh men nat fortunat:
For what may gold or tresour ther auaile,
Wher men in hunger fynde no vitaile?
Or what is worth* gold, perle or stonys red,
Grene emeraudis or saphir[e]s ynde.
Fd. \xd\ Xi<i2 But as he could
If J JO'tO not eat gold,
when he became
hungry he
begged Bacchus
to help him,
3456
and, following
Bacchus's
3460 advice
bathed in a
river. The
gravel still
shines golden
there.
3464
This only proves
that a barley
loaf is some-
Whan men enfamyned ha[ue] no[u]ther greyn nor more than
3472
bred.
Nor in such myscheefF vitaile may non fynde
For to fostre ther nature and ther kynde, —
A barli lofF in such a distresse
Mor myhte auaile than al worldli richesse!
This knew Midas, & was expert in deede,
Thouh he off gold hadde so gret plente,
That with metall he myhte hymselfF nat feede.
Which caused hym off necessite 3476
To considre and cleerli for to see.
That bred mor vailith for fostryng off nature.
Than al [the] richesse that men may heer recure.
For which this kyng gan haten al richesse;
Gold and tresour he hadde eek in disdeyn,
LeflFte his crowne and his roial noblesse.
And ches to keepe sheep vpon a pleyn.
Al worldli worshepe was to hym but veyn.
OfF malencolie & froward pouerte,
Endid his lifF in gret aduersite.
3454. gan] did H.
3458. shape] make H.
3461. yit] it P.
3466. worth] worthi B, J, worthy H, H 5.
3478. availith H.
3479. the] om. J, P, H 5 — hear] om. H.
3484. was] isH.
,_ all worldly
3400 riches,
as Midas learned
by experience.
348Q As a result he
began to hate
all wealth, left
his throne and
became a
shepherd.
3484
298 The End of Midas. Belshazzar [bk. 11
His end was FoF ofF irc and inpacience,
very terrible, for _, n i • i i • i
in his great need 1* y Rally thus With hym It stood : 3488
he drank the -rx • , . . , . ...
blood of a mad- T unousli iH his gtct indigence,
became^mad'"'^ As Writ Bochas, How He dtank the blood
himseifanddied.Qfp^ bolc, sauagync and wood,
With loue enchaufid,* made no delaies, 3492
Most bestlali eendid thus his daies.
[Off Balthasar kyng of Babilone and how Danyel
expowned, Mane, Techel, Phares.] ^
Belshazzar mis- "V TEXT to Bochas, OF that he was war,
used the sacred
As he sat writyng with ful gret labowr,
sai^m,' '° ' OfF Babilon cam grete Baltazar 3496
To declare his sorwe and his langowr.
Which had mysusid ful falsli the tresowr
And the vesseles brouht fro Jerusalem,
In Babilon cheefF cite ofF his rewm. 3500
drinking For at z souDcr with his lordis all,
wine out of them ._^, rr-i i-ii i l*
at a supper, sur- Whan ott the vesselis he drank myhti wynes,
concubines^and' And solcmpU sat in his roial stall,
magicians. p^^^ round a-boute all his concubynes, 3504
Philisophres, magiciens and dyuynes,
Ther cam an hand, the Bible doth assure.
And on the wall gan writen this scripture:
when suddenly MattC techcl pharcs wreten in his siht, 3508
a hand wrote
wall.
a hand wrote rr^, 111 1 11
A/an/, Techii, Thouh he the menyng conceyued neueradeel,
i«t?" onVhf ' Which on the wall shewed cleer & briht,
Fro whos sentence auailed non appel.
But the prophete, hooli Danyel, 3512
FuUi expownyd to Baltazar the kyng
The mysterie ofF this derk writyng.
3487. Impacience H.
3488. yiith hym thus H.
3492. enchaufid] eschaufid B, eschaufed J, R 3.
3501. a] om. H.
3503. solempnely H, R 3, solemnely P.
35 10. cleer] fayre P.
* MS. J leaf 54 recto.
BK. ii] The Writing on the Wall 299
" This woord Mane, pleynli and nat tarie, SlmdS^'^ed
In Latyn tunge betokneth in substaunce, 3516 to him that
The daies countid & rekned the noumbrarie Latin,
Off thi regnyng & off thi gret substaunce. n^^b«^'^
And Techel sowneth a weieng in ballaunce, ^^^flmg.
In tokne thi power & kyngdam be mesure, 3520 i°^fbli^^
God hath hem peised, thei shal no while endure.
Phares also betokneth a brekyng, "Pkares
_ _, . • 1 means a break-
In Komayn tunge, into pecis smaie; ingintosmaU
For thi power & froward rebellyng 3524 ^'^'»h°i ^
Shal from an hih be brouht into the vale, iS^lWoTy
This Hooli Writ & no feyned tale : Wm a^dj^o^^
For whan pryncis wil nat ther liff redresse, warned long ago
y-^ 1 Ml !• 1 1- by the fall of
God will onwarli ther surquedie represse. 3528 Nebuchadnezzar
and you took no
Thou wer be toknys warned longe affor, \^^ ^ H
Be many exauwple, the story ye may reede, be brouht low."
Bi the fallyng oflF Nabugodonosor,
And thou theroff took ful litil heede, 3532
The Lord to thanke & haue his name in dreede.
For which thou shalt withynne a litil throwe
Lese sceptre & crowne, & be brouht ful lowe."
[Lenvoye.] ^
9 Lat prjmcis all this story haue in mynde, [p. 131] 3536 Let aii prince.
And for themsilfF[e] notabli prouide, ^^"nd put"*
A[nd] namli thei that be to God onkynde, Sm SdX-
Ther concubynes for to sette a-side, '"'^ ^''^**
And make vertu for to been ther guide, 3540
Voide lecheri and fals presumpcioun.
Which haue* so many brouht to destruccioun.
Nabugodonosor hadde repentaunce, Nebuchadnezzar
• J .... . repented, and
And was restond to his possessiouns; 3544 was restored to
But God off riht took sodenli vengaunce g^ took%en!?*
On Balthasar for his transgressiouns. S^!" ^*^
Wherfore, ye Pr3mcis, disposith your resouns,
3517. & rekned] om. H, R 3, P.
3519. a weieng] a weyen H. 3520. kyngdam & power H.
3525. hih] hiht H — an hih] the hye P.
3526. This is J, R 3, P. 3529. before H.
3542. haue] han B.
^ No beading in MSS. or P. The Envoy is indicaud by an
initial.
300 The Dream 0/ Croesus [|bk. ii
AfFtir your meritis to ha[ue] God merciable, 3548
For your dementis to fynden hym vengable.
Wherefore, Prin-Geyn hooH chirchfe] taketh no quarelis,
ces, do not quar- •-, "^ . .... . i-i
rei with the Dut aducrtisith in your inward siht;
shazzar did, who For Balthasar drank ofFtho vesselis 3552
oftheh'^i^'ve^' Stole fro the temple ofFverrai force & myht:
&°8io°rd8hip He loste lordshepe and lifF vpon a nyht,
and his life, go that the kyngdam off Assiriens
Translatid was to Mede & Persiens. 3556
plow* Cresus & balthasar were venquisshed bi
Cirus and the son of Cresus slajm at huntyng of
a boor.] ^
Bochas next saw "V TEXT to lohn Boch^j, withynwe a litil throwe,
Croesus, who I ^J ttt • rr • ■ ■• r
besought him to ±. ^ W Htyng oit pfincis many pitous late,
his faif. ^ ^^ ° He sauh kyng Cresus, with other on J)e rowe,
Lowli besechyng his fallyng to translate; 3560
And how Fortune ageyn hym gan debate,
And off his myscheefF, doolful for to reede.
For to descryue anon he gan proceede.
He was king of For as it is remembrid in writyng, 3564
many other As God and Kynde list for hym ordeyne,
kingdoms, and r\rr t • t t 01
called the flower OiT Lide hc was gouemour & kyng,
of all chivalry, j^^^ lordshep hadde, the story cannat feyne,
OfF many kyngdam mo than oon or tweyne; 3568
Fame in that tyme so dede hym magnefie,
That he was callid flour ofF al cheualrie.
Warlike and And he was also in his tyme fouwde
aboundmg in ry-, . o • l ^ -i
riches, with 1 he most expert in werre & in bataile, 3572
LidiMs°and And ofF richesse was the most habouwde,
many children, ^^^j ^^^^ excellyug iu conquest to preuaile —
Plente ofF peeple, with roial apparaile.
And with al this, to his gret auauwtage, 3576
Nouwbre ofF childre tenbelishe his lynage.
nothing failed In the most hiest ofF his roial see,
him, until he.,, loi i
dreamt that his And al was weel & nothyng stood amys,
^aln, ^^* ''** Yit tamenuse his felicite, 3580
A drem he hadde; & trewli that was thys,
3564. in] by H.
3567, 68 are transposed in H.
^ MS. J. leaf 54 verso. How] Lo J.
BK. Il]
The Death of Croesus' Son Atys
301
3584
3588
3592
How that his sone, which caliid was Athys,
Was take fro hym, & be mortal outrage
Slayn sodenii in his tendre age.
This woful drem dede hym gret distresse
And putte his herte in ful gret disespeir,
Stondyng in feer & in gret heuynesse
Because his child, tendre, yong & fair.
Which that was bor[e]n for to been his hair,
Sholde causeles in such[e] myscheefF die,
So as his drem afFom dede specefie.
Off this processe to declare moor.
How Cresus drem fulfellid was in deede:
From Olympus ther cam a wilde boor,
Most furious & sauagyne off dreede,
With fomy tusshes, which faste gan hym speede, 3596
Doun descendyng, & nowher list abide
Til that he cam into the land off Lide,
And gan destroie ther fruitis & ther vynes,
Wher-euer he cam in any maner place,
Brak the nettis and the stronge lynes
Off the hunteris, that dede at hym enchace;
But vnder support off the kynges grace.
His sone and heir, off whom I spak tofor.
Gat hym licence to hunten at this boor.
His fader Cresus deemyng off this cas,
Ther was no cause off dreed in no maner,
Thouh his sone wer present at the chas
With other hunteris such game for to let:
But ay Fortune with hir double cheer
Is reedi euere bi sum fatal treyne
At such disportis sum myscheef to ordeyne.
For oon ther was which hadde gouemaunce
Vpon this child tawaiten and to see,
Chacyng the boor, to saue hym fro myschaunce,
From al damage and aduersite, — 3616
Which many lusti folk off that centre.
With homys, houndis & sharp speris grounde,
Sekyng the boor til thei han hym founde.
3587. ful gret H.
3615. Chacyng^ causyng H.
3618. speris] swerd^j H.
which put him
in great d««pair.
A wild boar
came down from
Mc Oljrmpus
into Lydia
and began to
destroy the
3600 crops and defied
the skiU of the
hunters.
3604
whom Atys
joined with his
father's per-
mission. But
3608 Fortune is
always ready to
make mischief.
3612
One of the
child's tutors, in
the exdtement
of the chase.
302 Croesus* Grief and his Fall [bk. ii
w wUdiy thftit A"^ as thei gan fersli this boor enchace, [p. 132] 3620
rnd'str^ck Atys ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ chargid to been the childis guide,
piercing his As with his spere he gan the boor manace,
The hed nat entred, but forbi gan to gHde,
And on the child, which that stood beside, 3624
The strook ahhte, & or he dede aduerte,
The speris hed roofF hym thoruh the herte.
Sard" about"il But off this child, whan the deth was kouth,
likVthaJ??'!^'^ ^^^^ ^ reportid hooli the manere 3628
dead image for How he was slay[e]n in his tendre youth.
Born to been heir onto his fader deere,
Cresus for sorwe chauwged* look & cheere.
And for constreynt off dool, in his visage 3632
He resemblede a verrai ded ymage.
w'Jrows^^s'uage; ^^^ eueu sorwe, be long continuaunce,
At the laste it sumwhat must aswage;
For ther is noon so furious greuauwce, 3636
Nor so mortal importable rage,
But long processe yeueth hym auauntage:
I meene as thus, ther is noon so gret a sorwe.
But it muste cese, outher eue or morwe. 3640
philrs know?'^ Philisophres concluden & discerne,
thingsthatare And bi thct resouws recorden in scripture,
violent may not . » '
be eternal; Thyng Violent may nat been eterne;
Nat in o poynt a-bit noon auenture, 3644
Nor a sorwe alway may nat endure:
For stound[e]meel thoruh Fortunys variaunce
Ther folweth ioie afFtir gret greuauwce.
wa'^'no'm^ns of The sorwc ofF Cresus, thouh it wer intollerable, 3648
remedying the And at his herte the greuaunce sat ful sore,
cause of Crcesus ^. ■, , i-ii •
grief, Bochas Sith that his dool was irrecuperable,
wrote no more . » i • i
about it and And mene was non his harmys to restore,
ofTrsVii/°*^ Myn auctot^r Bochaj writ off his wo no more, 3652
But off his fall, how that it fill in deede.
To telle the maner forth he doth proceede.
Be&zz^^r^ who ^"^ ^^^ ^ while he set his stile a-side,
had been joined And his proccsse in parti he forbar 3656
then Croesus To spcke off Crcsus, that was kyng off Lide,
himself was » i • rr ■r> i i
overcome by And gan tcsorte to write orr Balthazar,
Ageyn rehersyng: or that he was war,
3626. thoruh] to H, P. 3631. he chaunged B.
3645. may nat alwey H.
Cyrus,
BK. Il]
Cyrus* Cruelty to Croesus
303
3676
How myhti Cirus, off fatal auenture, 3660
Made on hym proudli a disconfiture.
And as it is put in remembraunce,
Off Balthazar to holde up the partie,
Cresus with hym had maad an alliaunce
With al his puissaunce & al his cheualrie.
His liff, his tresour to putte in iupartie,
Sworn in armis as brother onto brother,
Be Cirus venquysshed, the ton afftir the tother.
Ther bothe myscheeff no lenger was delaied,
Al-be that Cresus fauht longe in his diffence,
He fynali be Cirus was outraied
And depryued be knyhtli violence, — 3672
Take in the feeld, ther was no resistence,
And rigorousli, to his confusioun,
With myhti fetris cast in a derk prisouw.
And mor tencrece his gret aduersite,
A sone off his, tendre & yong off age.
That was doumb from his natyuyte
And neuer spak woord in no maner language —
Cirus comaundyng be furious outrage,
That Cresus sholde, be vengable cruelte,
Ba knyht of Perse in prisoun heuedid be, —
And with his suerd as he gan manace,
Cresus taslayn withoute al reuerence.
The doumb[e] child, ther present in the place.
Which neuer had spoke, thus saide in audience:
" Withdrauh thi strok and do no violence
Onto my lord, thi fame for to confounde,
To slen a kyng that lith in prisoun bounde."
The knyht astonyd, hath his strok forbom,
Gretli abaued in that derk habitacle.
Which herd a child that neuer spak tofom
A-geyn his suerd to maken an obstacle :
Ran & tolde this merueilous myracle
To myhti Cirus, with eueri circumstaunce,
Hopyng therbi tattemprid his greuaunce. 3696
in tpite of
Croesus'
bravery.
Crcesus was
3664 P"t '° prison
3668
together with
one of his sons
who was dumb.
Cyrus com-
manded a
knight to cut off
Croesus' head;
_ but, as he raised
3600 his sword, the
dumb child
spoke and told
him not to slay
a helpless king.
3684
3688
At this the
knight was so
abashed that he
ran and told
3692 Cyrus.
3660. fatal] hatefull H.
3677. yong & tendre H. 3686. thus] & H.
3691. abaued] abasshid H, abashede R 3, abashed P.
304 Croesus escapes Death but loses his Kingdom [|bk. ii
ha"V\o%^ppea8e ^"^ whcF-as tirantis be set on cruelte,
the malice of a XhcF crokid malice ful hard is to appese,
tyrant, o • i . , . . . ff'
ho indurat is ther iniquite,
That al in vengauwce is set ther hertis ese, 37CX)
ThemsilfF reioisshyng to seen folk in disese,
Lich as thei wer, in ther froward daunger
Clenli frauwchised fro God and his power.
had Tfke^e This cruel Cirus, most vengable ofFdesir,[p. 133] 3704
and commanded Tcxecutc his fel cntcnt in deede,
his men to throw i • i rr r r
Croesus into it. Leet make m haste off faget a gret fir,
And gan them kyndle with many colis rede,
And made Cresus, quakyng in his dreede, 3708
For to be take wher-as he lay ful lowe.
And bad men sholde into the fir hym throwe.
jvTpTtTr'Sw what But lubiter, which hath this vengaunce seyn,
was happening How ctuel Cirus with malice was atteynt, 3712
and sent a storm o
of rain, which Ftom heuene sente a tempest & a reyn,
fire, and Croesus That sodenli the hotrible fir was queynt;
hi"^fe. "" [And] woful Cresus, with dreedful fir maad feynt,
Escapid is his furious mortal peyne — 3716
God and Fortune for hym list so ordeyne.
Cyrus then be- T^Js auentute, in maner merueilous,
gan to have pity cr r>- 11
and allowed Ynt, herte orr Cirus gan sumwhat to enbrace,
backtoLydia, And caused hym for to been pitous 3720
be\aiied"kfnV.° Ageyu Ctesus, & grauntid hym this grace,
To ocupie, whil he hath liflF and space.
The lond ofFLide; except onli this thyng.
He sholde nat afFtir no mor be callid kyng. 3724
£ of Lydu^* And thus off Lide the kyngdam dede fyne,
came to an end. Which took his gyuwyng off oon Ardisius,
Now I will pass , , 11 rr 1
on to Cyrus. And cndured the space ott kynges nyne, —
Look who will, the bookis telle thus. 3728
Heroff no mor, but forth onto Cirus
I will proceede, with al my wise* cure
For to translate his woful auenture.
3697. as3 om. H. 3706. fagott H.
3715. And] om. J.
3730. wise] vise B.
BK. iij The Bloodthirstiness of Cyrus 305
[How the cruel tiraunt Cirus delited euer in slauhtre
& shedyng of blood and so ended.3 ^
HEIR be discent to gret Astriages, _ 3732 ^>%7t£!he^
Poorli brouht forth, as maad is mencioun, hdcPii^A^
And hadde al Asie to his gret encres, under hu do-
Holdyng that regne be iust successioun *° '
In long quiete withoute rebellious, 3736
Til tyme he thouhte, in ful froward wise,
The world was smal to staunche his couetise.
He hadde an etik most contagious ^"* he suffered
,0 from a fever of
Fretyng vpon hym for desir off good, x'tao Woodthintiness
.j-'".'^, /, ir- "^'^ that turned his
A dropesie, hattui and runous, royalty into
Off froward rage, that made his herte wood, tyranny.
A woluysh thrust to sheede manys blood.
Which ouerthwertid, be fals malencolie, 3744
His roial corage into tirannye.
But whan he gan presuwzptuousli entende b^'LTtcTrob'
To robbe and reue folk thoruh his pillage, *^^p}^^«^-
God & Fortune made hym to descende 3748 his pride that
T7>iji'/-i.., might was above
rul sodenh irom his roial stage, right, God made
Demyng off pride it was a gret vauwtage ve^ s^^Siiy
To Wynne londis, off verray force & myht, ^""^ hi. throne.
Thouh in his conquest ther wer no title off ryht. 3752
To will he gaff hooli the souervnte, ^? ^^"-'t ^^^u
. J . ° . •' ' rem to his will
And aduertisid nothyng to resoun, and preferred
•r> f 'J 1 • !• woridly success
DUt prerernd his sensualite to discretion.
To haue lordshep & domynacioun 3756
A-boue sad trouthe and discrecioun.
Which causith pryncis from ther estat roiall,
Or thei be war, to haue a sodeyn fall.
For the lordshepe off al Asia 7760 ■"»« 'ordship of
"H/T'L rr r>' «*'"" all Asia was not
Mint nat surhse to Cirus gredynesse, enough for him.
But thouhte he wolde conquere Cithia, he would ron-
And ther werreie tencrece his gret richesse, """ Scythw.
Thouh he no title hadde off rihtwisnesse, 3764
Sauff a fals lust; wheroff men sholde ha[ue] routhe,
That will in pryncis sholde oppresse trouthe.
3733. forth] vp H. 3735. that] ^e H.
3741. hatful] ful hatful H.
^ MS. J. leaf 55 recto.
3o6 Cyrus and ^ueen Tomyris [bk. il
JtifJfpnnMs in First thIs CiFus all pryncis dede excell
conquest and Bothc it! conqucst, victoric and bataile, 3768
cruel and QfF gold & trcsouF, as bookis off hym tell:
Kyngdamys to wynwe he dede most preuaile;
And yit too vicis dede his herte assalle,
First couetise euere tencrece in good, 3772
With a desir to sheede menwys blood.
and carried away-^j^j^ thesc too vices he brcnweth euer in oon,
by these vices, ne . '
marched on the That neuer myhte from his herte twynne,
kingdom of -' , -, .
Queen Tomyris, Made a gtet atme toward bceptemtnon, 3776
Tween the Cas- And cast hym proudli to sette on & begynrze,
Silcif Seaffnd Scithia, the myhti lond, to wynne,
Tnu'have 1%' Queen Thamaris ther regnyng, as I fynde,
fruits of the soil Whos kyngdam ioyneth to Ethiope and* Inde. 3780
Toward the parti which is orientall,
The Se off Surrie floweth ful plenteuous
Doun to the Se callid Occidental^
And southward renweth toward Coucasus. 3784
And folk off Cithie that been laborious,
Which tile the lond, hanat to ther lyuynge
But onli fruitis which from the erthe sprynge.
r^ch i?graifald The lond ofF Cithic is riche for the nonys, [p. 134] 3788
gold and precious por grevn and fruit a lond ful couenable,
stones, although ^.,°7y,,, , <
part of it is not Riche oiF gold, perle and precious stonys,
inhabited for fear _. ., ,. « , 11 ii
of griffons. Riht comodious & wonder delectable;
But a gret parti is nat habitable, 379*
The peeple dreedful to beelde ther mansiouws,
For feer off deth, because off the grifFouns.
Tomyriswasnot ji^g noble fame nor the hih renouw
very tamous
before Cyrus w^g nat fetr knowe nor Isprad a-boute 3796
began his in- . rr* i
vasion, OfF Thamaris, queen ott that regioun.
Nor ofF hir noblesse, withynwe nor withoute.
Till that kyng Cirus, with a ful gret route.
Into Scithia gan hym proudli dresse, 3800
The hardi queen to spoile ofF hir richesse.
at^once to^^re- ^^^ ^he, hir fame mor to magnefie,
pare to resist Q^n in gret haste with ful riche apparaile
trustedone third Ful prudcutli asscmble hir cheualrie, 3804
her ^n °'"' '^° And took a feeld, yifF he hir wolde assaile,
3780. kyngdam] centre H — and] in B, J, R 3, P.
3784. Coucasus J, H, cancasus R 3, Caucasus P.
3790. perle] perell R 3. 3791. delitable H.
BK. ii|] Cyrus slays the Son of Tomyris 307
Redi with hym to haue[n] a bataile.
And ofF hir meyne, lich as seith my book,
Onto hir sone the thridde part she took. 3808
And gafF hym charge in the same place, hfv^LlSr'°
HymsilfF tacquite that day lik a knyht, hira'S for'
And for to meete Cirus in the face, ^'"^ts^'cTwith'
And nothyng dreede with hym for to fyht. 3812 food and drink
But whan kyng Cirus off hym hadde a syht, iai^''^ bis
Cast hym that day the yong[e] prynce [t]oppresse, '™"'^"
Rather be wilis than manhod or prowesse.
First he leet stuffe his large pauillouns 3816
With gret plente off drynkis delectable,
Duyers metis and confecciouns
Round aboute vpon eueri table;
And in his menyng passyng deceyuable, 3820
Lich as he hadde in maner dreedful be.
Took al his boost & gan anon to fle.
This yonge prynce, off menyng innocent, ^*^°°lhs
Nothyng demyng as be supposaile, 3824 knights thought
But that Cirus was with his me[y]ne went afraid, and
And fledde for feer, he durste hym nat assaile. ^vesand'™
And whan he fond such plente off vittaile, S^s^^red^nk
He & his knyhtis thoruh mysgouemaunce, 3828 *°*^ incapable.
To ete & drynke set al ther plesaunce.
Thei hadde off knyhthod lost al the disciplyne,
Forsook[e] Mars and put hym out off siht.
And to Bachus ther hedis gan enclyne, 3832 ^^S^^^o™'
Gorge vpon gorge till it drouh to nyht. ^^'™ and kiUed
.J ^ . y^. ° , -^ ., them all: for, a«
And proude Cirus cam on hem anon nht '^•se men say.
With al his boost, thei out off ther armure, tistance in
On bestial folk made a disconfiture. 3836
Cruel Cirus leffte non a-lyue.
Off hih nor low made non excepciouti,
Thei wer to feeble ageyn his myht to stryue:
For cheeff cause off ther destruccioun 3840
Was dronkenesse, which voideth al resoun;
And wise men rehersen in sentence,
Wher folk be dronke ther is no resistence.
3814. toppressej] oppresse J.
3834. on^ vpon H.
drunken folk.
308 ^ueen Tomyris defeats and kills Cyrus [bk. ii
S^staCTe'was ^nd whaii this slauhtre be relaciouw 3844
TomyriVshe Reported was and brouht to the presence
^'™°st went mad OiFThamaris, queen off that regiouw,
Onto hir herte it dede ful gret offence.
But off ire and gret inpacience, 3848
Seyng hir sone slayn in tendre age,
For sorwe almost she fill into a rage.
Sn of°rrniy But fot al hir woful dedli peyne,
re"te%o be ^^^ shewed no tokne ofF femynyte, 3852
revenged on But ofF ptudence hir wepyng gan restreyne,
And caste hir pleynli auengid for to be
Vpon kyng Cirus & on his cruelte.
Sente out meyne tespien his passage, 3856
Yiff she hym myhte fynde at a-vauntage.
fflfhtS"^ And with hir meyne gan feyne a maner fliht
her army into Vp to the mounteyns, dreedful & terrible;
the mountams, ^ . <->-•• i
Cyrus pursuing And Cirus aiftir gan haste hym anon riht, 3860
among the rocks; In hope to take hit, yiff it wer possible.
Among which hilles, mor tharrit is credible.
Been craggi roches, most hidous off entaile,
Pereilous off passage & void off al vitaile. 3864
guWeordfag-° And Citus thct fill in gret daunger,
rppiie's:his"men Al onpurueied off drogenian or guide;
fell into disorder Jo fostte his peeple vitaile was non ther,
and all were i • • • i
slain. Erryng as beestis vpon eueri side. 3868
And thei off Scithie gan for hym so prouide,
Wheroff ther queen[e], God wot, was ful fayn,
At gret myscheeff that al his men wer slayn.
SirceXi^/was Non off alle was take to ransouw, [p. 135] 3872
brought to the ]\^or he hymsilff escapid nat ther bouttdis,
Quccn. •/ X 7
Such wait was leid to his destrucciouw.
And he thoruh perced with many mortal wouwdis,
On pecis rent, as beris been with houwdis, 3876
The queen comaundyng, whan he lay thus totorn,
To hir presence his* bodi to be born.
he''a°d^cJft ollld First she hath chargid to smyte off his bed,
then t^rewit Whau she thus hath the victorie off hym wonne. 3880
full of blood And in a bath, that was off blood al red,
and said:
3845. to] vn to H.
3866. drougeman H — or] or of J. P.
3869. so for hym H, so for hem R 3 — so] om. P.
3870. ther] the H. 3874. Such] om. H.
3878. his] this B and MSS. except Add. which has his.
BK. Il]
God slays the Unmerciful
309
She gan it throwe, withynne a litil tonne.
And off despiht riht thus she hath begonne,
Most tirantli in hir woful rage,
To dede Cirus to hauen this language:
" O thou Cirus, that whilom wer so wood
And so thrustleuh in thi tirannye,
Agejm Nature to sheede manys blood,
So woluyssh was thyn hatful dropisie.
That merci non myhte it modefie,
Thyn etik ioyned, gredi and onstable,
With thrust off slauhtre ay to be vengable! "
It is an horrour in maner for to thynke
So gret a prynce rebuked for to be
Off a woman, manys blood to drynke,
For to disclauwdre his roiall maieste.
But gladli euer vengable cruelte
Off riht requereth, with onwar violence
Blood shad for blood iustli to recompence.
fl Off myhti Cirus thymperial noblesse
Was bi a woman venquysshid & bor douw;
God made hir chastise his furious woodnesse,
And for toppresse his famous hih renoun:
For wher vengauwce hath dominacioun
In worldli pryncis, pleynli to deuyse.
With onwar strok God can hem weel chastise.
The eende off Cirus can ber ful weel record.
How God withstondith folk that be vengable;
Lordshepe & mercy, whan thei been at discord,
Riht wil nat suffre ther staat to stonde stable.
And for this Cirus was so onmerciable.
He with onmerci punshed was in deede:
Deth quit for deth; loo, heer his fynal meede!
In slauhtre & blood he dede hym most delite;
For in tho tweyne was his repast in deede.
He fond no mercy his vengauwce to respite
Wher he fond mater any blood to sheede.
Such ioie he hadde be deth to see folk bleede;
And for the siht dede hym so mekil good.
His fatal eende was for to swymwe in blood.
3884
"O thou Cyrus,
once so eager
in thy tyranny
to shed men's
blood, so wolfish
in thy hateful
craving that
was tempered by
no mercy."
3892
3896
It is horrible to
think that such
a great prince
was rebuked by
a woman and
compelled to
drink blood; but
it was neverthe-
less a woman
who brought
him to his end.
3900
3904
3908
When lordship "
and mercy are
at discord in
princes, God
will punish
them.
3912
Cyrus delighted
in slaughter; he
knew no mercy,
but at the end
2qt6 he himself swam
^^ in blood.
3920
3888. to] so to J — manys] mennys H.
3912. punysshid H.
310 An Envoy on Cyrus []bk. ii
hincrearfires°at Loo, hecF thexcqules off this myhti kyng!
gdd'en"?om"b L°°' '^^^'^ ^^^ ccnde ofF his estat roiall! —
was ordained Thcr wcF DO flawmys noF brondis cleer shynyng
lor iijs shrine* "^ •/ •/ ^
To brenwe his bodi with fires funerall, 3924
Nor obseruauwces nor ofFrynges marciall,
Nor tumbe off gold with stonys riche & fyne
Was non ordeyned that day to make his shryne!
epitaph, no bells Epitaphie ther was non rad nor sunge 3928
:-rper7so'tbed° ^6 no poete with thet poetries,
out tragedies; Nor ofF his tryumphes ther was* no belle runge,
no one was there - • • i i i t
but his enemies, JNor no weperis With sobbyng tragedies, —
who threw his ■» -r • , rr i •
carrion out to JNon attend auMce, but ott his enmyes, 3932
Which off hatrede in ther cruel rage
Cast out his kareyn to beestis most sauage.
uTants"'^ Loo, heet off Cirus the fynal auenture.
Which off al Asie was whilom emperour! 3936
Now lith he abiect, withoute sepulture,
OfF hih ne low he fond no bet fauour.
Loo, heer the fyn ofF al worldli labour,
Namli olF tirantis, which list nat God to dreede, 3940
But set ther lust in slauhtre, & blood to sheede!
^ Lenvoye.
Sn^iderihr' T} YHT noble Princls, co%sidreth in yowr siht
d '"T^^f^'c rus "^^ T\\t fyn ofF Cirus, pitous & lamentable.
How God punsheth ofF equite & riht 3944
Tirantis echon, cruel and vengable:
For in his siht it is abhomynable,
That a prynce, as philisophres write,
In slauhtre ofF men sholde hymsilfF delite. 3948
manr/knight ^his said[e] Cirus was a ful manli knyht,
until tyranny jf, \^\^ bcgynwyng riht famous & notable,
entered his ^^ i i o l
heart and he JN atute gait fiym semlyuesse & myht;
began to delight „ . ^ ■' •' 111
in slaughter. 1^ ot in couquest was nou seyn mor hable, 3952
Till tiranwye, the serpent deceyuable,
Merciles his corage dede atwite,
In slauhtre ofF men whan he hym gan delite.
3927. ordeyned] redy H. 3930. was] nas B, J.
3935. fynal] fatall H.
3944. punysshith H, punyshith R 3, punisheth P, punshith T.
BK. 11^ The Story of Romulus and Remus 311
Wherfore, ye Princis, remembreth day & piL«t7e-
nyht [P- 136] 3956 »-^,t"-
TafForce vour noblesse & make it perdurable, so honourable as
/• 01 cr 1. ^** which pre-
To gete you fauour & loue oir euery wyht, fers merc>- to
Which shal your statis conserue & keepe stable:
For ther is conquest non so honourable 3960
In gouemaunce, as vengaunce to respite,
Merci preferryng, in slauhtre nat delite.
[How Amilius for couetise slouh his brothir and
Remus and Romulus norisshed by a woluesse.] ^
AFFTIR kyng Cirus, Bochas dede espie ^''bSS
Too worthi brethre, with facis [ful] pitous, 3964 ^^^^^^""^
Bom be discent to regne in Albanye, ^^?** ^°
Bothe off o fadir, the story tellith vs.
The ton off hem callid Amylius,
And to remembre the name [eek] off the tother, 3968
Muniter Icallid was his brother.
Thei hadde a fader, which named was Prochas, SS p',^!'*'
Kyng ofF that lond, the story doth deuyse. d^th°iEmiiiu5
Afftir whos deth[e], pleynli this the cas, 3972 ^jf^^^^"^^"'
Amilius for fals[e] couetise might be »oie
His brother slouh in ful cruel wise, kingdom
That he oniustli, be fals[e] tirannye,
Miht ha[ue] the kyngdam alone off Albanye. 3976
This Albania be descripcioun, fSr^ttl^;
Lik as Bochas affermeth in certeyn, '^!^?°Tu
. r r T\ which had been
IS a cite nat ferr fro Rome touw, founded b>-
^ 1 Ml I * 1 1 1 Ascamus and
bet on an hill beside a large pleyn, 3980 was named after
The beeldyng statli, riche and weel beseyn, » « w 1 eness.
Stronge Iwallid, with many riche tour.
And Ascanius was first therofF foundour.
Which callid was in his fundacioun 3984
Albania, for the gret whihtnesse;
Ther kynges afftir be successioun
Named Albanoys, princis off gret noblesse.
And be discent, the story berth witnesse, 3988
Fro kyng Prochas, record on bookis olde.
Cam these too brethre, & Rea, ther suster, tolde.
3964. ful] om. J, P.
3969. Numitor P — his brother] the tothir H.
3970. Procas P. 3977. Albanye H, Albany R 3, P.
3982. wallid H. 3985. Albanya H, Albania J, R 3.
^ MS. J. leaf 56 verso.
312
^milius had a
sister, Rhea,
whom he
compelled,
when very
young, to
become a nun
in the Temple
of Vesta,
so that neither
she nor her de-
scendants should
have any claim
to the kingdom.
Rhea and her two Sons
[bk. II
Yet in spite of
her virginal
chastity, a
miracle came to
pass, and she
conceived
against Nature
(who is helpless
in such cases),
and bore two
sons.
Although she
was high
priestess, her
brother cast the
two infants out
to wild beasts.
They were
rescued and
fostered by a
she-wolf, for,
as Holy Writ
says, God can
keep children
from all harm.
yEmilius was
Muniter slayn, as maad is menciouw,
The kyngdam ocupied be Amilius; 3992
And Rea entred into relegioun,
For to be wympled in that hooli hous
Sacred to Vesta, with virgynys glorious,
Ther for tabide and be contemplatifF, 3996
With othre maidnes, duryng al hir lifF.
And this was doon whil she was yong off age
Bi hir brother, off fals entenciouw,
That she sholde ha[ue] no maner heritage, 4000
Nor cleyme no title in that regiouw
Off hir kynreede be non occasiouw.
But stonde professid to virgynyte
Tofor Vesta, and lyue in chastite. 4004
Yit natwithstandyng hir virgynal clennesse.
She hath conceyued be natural miracle;
Gan to encrece in hir hoolynesse,
Whos wombe aroos, in Kynde was noon obstacle : 4008
Ageyn such bollyng auaileth no triacle;
But the goddesse for hir so dede ordeyne.
That she attonys hadde sonys tweyne.
The temple off Vesta stood in wildirnesse, 4012
Wher Rea hadde hooli the gouernauwce
Off preestli honour doon to the goddesse.
With many strauwge vnkouth obseruauwce.
But bi hir brothris mortal ordenauwce, 4016
Hir yonge sonys myhte nat be socourid,
But cast out to beestis to* be deuourid.
But a she-wolfF, which whelpid hadde late.
To yeue hem souke dede hir besynesse, 4020
Be God ordeyned, or be sum heuenli fate.
Them to conserue fro deth in ther distresse.
For Hooli Writ pleynli ber[i]th witnesse,
God can difFende, as it is weel kouth, 4024
Childre fro myscheefF in ther tendre youth.
furious with his But in this while this said Amilius,
sister and shut Xhat was ther vncle, as maad is menciouw,
her up in a r i o r •
prison, where she Ageyn his sustct froward & furious.
Made hir be shet in a ful derk presouw;
4028
400). bollyng3 bolnyng H, P, R 3. 4013. hoolH hool H.
4018. to] for to B, H, J, P, H s; for is omitted in MS. R 3.
BK. Ii3 Romulus and Remus suckled by a She-Wolf 313
And ther compleynyng the destruccioun
OfF hit too childre born to hir repreefF,
For veray sorwe deied at gret myscheelF. 4032
These said[e] childre, deuoid ofF al refut, Sc.^S?^ide
Beside a ryuer lay pitousli crieng, l^^^^t ^^ °°
From al socour naked & destitut, woUm to take
_, , , . care of them;
Lxcept a woluesse vpon hem awaityng, 4036
At whos wombe ful stille thei lay sowkyng,
Onto Nature a thyng contrarious,
Childre to souke off beestis rauynous.
But he, this Lord off eueri creature, [p. 137] 4040 ^^ ^^'J^
Riht as hym list[e] can bothe saue & spille; tX^ndu'''
And beestis which be rage off ther nature, b^'r^s'IS
He can adaunt* & make hem li ful stille, — tigers, saw
Tigres, leouns obeien at his wille. 4044 came to no
The same Lord hath maad a fell woluesse *'*'™*
Onto twei childre hir bigges for to dresse.
And whil this woluesse hadde hem in depos, found'byrS^p-
Ther cam an heerde callid Faustulus, 4048 \:^^ home°^
Beheeld ther sowkyng & sauh hem lyn ful clos, »"» wife.
Which shepperde was off kyng Amilius,
Cauht up these childre, the story tellith thus.
And brouht hem hom with ful gret dilligence 4052
Onto his wiff, that callid was Laurence.
And she for loue dede hir besi peyne h^r"^me,1in*d
Them to fostre till thei cam to age, thenTu^^S
Gaff them sowken off hir brestis tweyne 4056 «^^ "p- One
Fro day to day, off herte and hool corage. Remus and the
And thei wer callid as in that language, ° ^ ™""*'
Afftir the story, the ton off hem Remus,
And the seconde was named Romulus. 4060
Off which[e] brethre, brefli to termyne, ^ndeTs*^! "^^
The toun off Rome took his origynall. Rome, and the^
/-\(r r 1 1- 1 1 r i i i ''°' °^^^ with
Oit tais disclaundre hrst began that lyne, f^l** "**
The roote out souht, ful vicious founde att all, 4064
Cleerli remembred for a memoriall,
Ther gynnyng greuh off such incontinence
As clerkis call incestus in sentence.
4040. this3 ]>at is R 3, that P.
4043. adaunt^ aduerte B, J, aduert P.
4046. Onto twei3 To too H — twei] tweyn H 5, tweine P —
bigges] pappes R 3.
4052. hom3 vp H, forth J — ful] om. J.
mcest.
314 ^^^ Touth of Romulus and Remus [j&k. ii
r^d thing*, Incestus is a thyng nat fair nor good, 4068
and means AfFtir that bookis weel deuise cunwe,
trespassing with • i i • i i i i
one's kin or a As trespasvng With kvii OF With blood,
nun. And Rome ^r~.« iii 'ii- i
started with (jF itoward meolyng with hir that is a nunwe.
murder'and And thus the lync ofF Rome was begunne : 4072
theft, for Yqx slauhtre, moordre & fals robberie
Was cheefF gynwyng off al ther auncetrie.
Reraul"became C)fF couctise thci took ther auauntage,
highway robbers, Liggcris ofF weies & robbours openH, 4076
who slew mer- ^r i i rr i i
chants and Moordrers also on ther owne lynage,
oppressed » i i i
women by And strcngcst thcuys gat to ther cumpany,
Spoilyng all tho that passed hem forby;
Vnder shadwe ofF kepyng ther beestaile, 4080
Al maner peeple thei proudii dede assaile.
^nt^d^'slba^" To slen marchantis, the! had* no conscience,
spears, And for to moordre folk ofF eueri age,
Women toppresse ofF force and violence, 4084
In al that cuwtre this was ther vsage:
Wher thei abood ther was no seur passage;
And these too brethre, lik as it is fouwde.
Fond first the maner ofF speris sharp Igrounde. 4088
Gritk'forwWch-''^ spere in Greek[e] callid is quirisy
reason Romulus And for that cause, the said[e] Romulus,
was afterwards . , , . j i i • • ■
named Quirinus. As bOOklS SCyn, and SOthll SO it IS,
He afFtirward was callid Quirinus. 4092
Which with his brother, that namyd* was Remus,
Was in alle thynge confederat & partable.
That tofor God was vicious & dampnable.
^ut tK^h he and ^j^ J ^g [^ ^^s accordyng to ther lifF, 4096
lacked virtue and Por lak ofF vcrtu thei fill in gret difFame;
were confederate , , i l 'rr
in all damnable And atweu hem ther was an vnkouth striit,
thmgs. Which ofF bothe sholde yeue the name
Onto the cite, atwen ernest & game, 4100
AfFtir ther namys Rome to be callid.
Thus fill the cas afForn or it was wallid.
They quarrelled ^j^j thctupon ful longe last ther stryues,
should name the Which sholde ofF hcm ha[ue] dominacioun, 4104
kt^g" *" * Shewyng ther titles & prerogatyues,
4070. kyn] kynde H, kynd R 3. 4080. beestaile] vitaile
H, vltaill R 3.
4082. had] hadden B. 4085. that] ther H.
4093. namyd] callid B, J. 4103. R begins again here.
4105. titles] title H.
BK. Il]
Romulus becomes Lord of Rome
315
4108
and to settle the
matter agreed
that the one
who first saw
41 1 2 ^^ largest fiock
of birds fly over
« hill should be
chosen.
4116
They ascended
Mt. Aventir.e
with a multitude
of witnesses,
4120
Who sholde off hem yeue name to the toun
And regne as kyng in that regioun.
Ther was no resoun who sholde go befom.
Because thei wer[e]n bothe attonys bom.
But to fynysshe ther fraternal discord,
Thei han prouyded atwen hem anon riht;
Thus condescendyng to put hem at accord
Nouther be force, oppressioun nor myht.
That which off hem first sauh grettest fliht
Off briddes fleen hie vpon an hill,
Sholde name the cite at his owne will.
Off this accord for to ber witnesse,
Thei with hem ladde a ful gret multitude,
Theron to yeue a doom off rihtwisnesse,
Bothe off wise and off peeplis rude,
All attonys this mateer to conclude.
And vp tan hill[e] callid Auentyne,
Thei been ascendid this mateer for to fyne.
And birdis sexe to Remus dede appeere, [p. 138] 4124 ^Tw "ly *sTi"'
Bi augurie as thei gan proceede,
Callid vultures, ful fers in ther manere.
But the nouwbre in double dede exceede,
That Romulus sauh, whan he took good heede.
Wheroff ther fill a gret contrauersie.
Which off hem sholde preuaile on his partie.
Thus first off all[e] Remus hadde a siht
Off sexe birdis callid vultures,
And for tauaunce and preferre his riht.
He ful proudli put hymsilff in pres.
But Romulus was nat rek[e]les,
His brothres cleym pleynli to entrouble,
Afforced his title with the nouwbre double.
Yit off his purpos on off hem mut faile,
Thouh it so be that thei euer stryue;
But Romulus gan fynali preuaile,
And to the cite foorth he wente blyue.
And, as auctours list echon descryue.
birds and
Romulus more
than twice as
many.
4128
4132
4136
Romulus won,
and after a
long dispute (for
his brother
wouldn't give in
and both could
not be victori-
ous) named the
town Rome,
after himself.
4140
4115. birdis fleeng H. 4117. ber] be P.
4125. gan] dede R. 4128. That] Whan R.
4133. tauaunce] auaunte R.
4138. his] this R.
3i6 The Death of Remus Qbk. ii
And in ther bookis as thei rehersen all,
AfFtir his name Rome he dede it call. 4144
Jwafubout" And all foreyn[e]s for texcluden oute,
madeY la^w*^ And agcyn hem to make strong difFence,
forbidding any- First he began to walle it round aboute,
death to climb And made a lawe ful dreedful in sentence: 4148
\yho clamb the wall be any violence,
Outward or inward, there is no mor to seie,
Be statut maad, he muste* needis deie.
JotTeen\dd'of This was enact be ful pleyn ordynauwce, 4152
the law went jj, peyne ofF deth, which no man breke shall.
over and was -n t m tj rr •
slain by a knight But SO befill, Remus oiT ignorauwce,
' Which off the statut kneuh nothyng att all,
OfF auenture wente ouer the wall. 4156
For which a knyht ordeyned in certayn.
The said[e] Remus with a pekeis slayn.
not^rry^arhe ^^^ btother Hst nat in no maner wise
saw that 'with Ageyn the lawe to be fauourable, 4160
Remus out of the 0 -^ . ' •f-""
way he would be But assentid, patcel for couetise,
sole ruler of tt Tt i i i
Rome. Vpon Remus to be mor vengable,
OfF this entent, to make his regne stable.
That he alone myhte gouerne & non other, 4164
Be no claym fouwde nor brouht in bi his brother.
tow^popui^ous And that the peeple sholde hem mor delite,
he devised a Thet tabide and ha[ue] possessioun,
territory called rr t\ i i •
Asylum, As olde auctouts off Romulus do write, 4168
Withynwe the bouwdis ofF the same* touw.
That he deuysed, bi gret prouisioun,
In cumpas rouwd, so cronycles compile,
A teritorie that callid was Asile. 4172
refuje'fo/ar^ This Asilum be Romulus deuised,
ind'murderers- ^^^ ^ place ofF refuge and socours,
Lik a theatre, with libertes frawwchised.
For to resseyue all foreyn trespassours, 4176
Theuys, moordreris, weiliggeris & robbours.
Be gret resort, withynne the wallis wide.
To fostre all bribours that nowher durste abide.
4149. clamb] clam R. 4151. mut B.
4152. pleynj om. R.
4158. pikeis R, J, pikoys H, pikeys, P, pikais R 3.
4163. this] his R — regne] Rewm? H.
4169. same] said B. 4170. prouisioun] possession R.
BK. Il] Romulus first King of Rome 317
And with fled peeple fro dyuers regiouns, 4180 ^p]^^s ufeie.
The cite gan tencrece & multeplie; from^^^h"
And banshed folk off straunge naciouns bounngcour-
To fynde refuge thedir gan hem hie. grew ver>-
And thus be processe gan ther cheualrie 4184 "^' ^
First thoruh tirantis, rekles off werkyng,
Till al the world obeied ther biddyng.
Off wilfull force withoute title ofF riht brouSt'iS
Thei brouht al peeple vnder subieccioun. 41S8 ?"k»s under
1 • 1 I • 1 o 1 '," subjection by
A cleym thei made be violence & mynt, force, without
And took non heed off trouthe nor resoun. right.
And the first auctour off ther fundacioun
Was Romulus, that gadred al this route 4192
Withynne the cite, & wallid it round aboute.
And many day, as maad is mencioun, ^ny'y'eCir*^
He hadde that cite in his gouemaunce;
And was the firste kyng crownyd in that toun, 4196
And regned ther be contynuaunce
Ful many yeris, till the variaunce
Off Fortune, thoruh hir* fals envie.
In Campania made hym for to die 4200
Vpon a day whan it gan thundre loude, Srw^ iLS^'
His name for euere to be mor magnefied. upinadoudto
Summe bookis seyn, he was rapt in a cloude, deified with
Hih up in heuene to be stellefied, 4204 * *""
With othre goddis estatli deified,
Ther to be stallid be lubiteris side,
Lik for his knyhtis as Mars list prouide.
Loo, heer off paynymys a fals opynyoun, [p. 139] 4208 ^^^^'^^
To Cristes lawe contrarie and odious, opinion of
That tirantis sholde for fals oppressioun >ncious tyrants
Be callid goddis or named glorious, gods for thtir
Which bi ther lyue wer fou7zde vicious: 4212 Mo^^S-they
For this pleyn trouthe, I dar it riht weel tell, u^is'^tii'i''are
Thei rathere be feendis ful deepe in hell. virtuous on
'^ earth, they are
For but in erthe ther dominacioun K " '^^^
Conveied be bi vertuous noblesse, 4216
And that ther power & ther hih renoun
4180. with] om. H, which R. 4188. al] om. H.
4196. firste] otn. R. 4199. hir] his B. 4203. in] vp in H.
4205. estatH] stately H, statly R, stately P.
4207. list] wil R. 4213. this is H. 4214. ful] ow. H, R 3.
3i8 The Abuse of Deifying Men [bk. ii
Be set on trouthe and on rihtwisnesse,
Lich ther estatis, in prynce or in pryncesse,
I dar afferme off them bothe tweyne, 4220
For vicious lyuyng thei mut endure peyne.
are'jut'an?''' But whan thei been feithful ofF entent,
InA^eip -^^^^ ^"^ trouthe iustli to meynteene,
poor folk, then And in thet roial power be nat blent, 4224
they certainly ttt • i „ r 11
deserve to reign Wrongis redressyug & poore rolk susteene,
And so contynue, with conscience most cleene,
Such HfF, mor rathe than pompe of worldh werris,
Shal make hem regne in heuene aboue the sterris. 4228
princilnV°' For which lat pryncis vndirstonde attonys,
SndersVand'that "^"^ wotldH pHnccsses, with al thcr gret richesse,
charity and That thet hih hornys, fret with riche stonvs,
meekness arcrp. j» , ,, i
more likely than 1 oward hcucne thcr passagc doth nat dresse. 4232
win"^a"pk?e for But vcttuous HfF, chatite and meeknesse,
them above, ^j^^^^ ^j^^j jj^^ p^.^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^iet hette atace.
That causeth hem in heuene to wynwe a place.
wors^e^than'for Ther is no mor strauwge abusioun, 4236
people: ^° ^"^'^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ grettctc ydolattie,
Than whan pryncis list cachche afFeccioun
Creaturis falsli to deifie,
Be collusioun brouht in be sorcerie. 4240
Now God difFende alle princis weel disposid,
With such fals crafFt neuer to been enosid !
?h°eybecome'Il5''And that ther eyen bi non illusiouws
sei°fhrou"g°h their ^^ "^^ cuglucd nouthct with hook nor lyne, 4244
outward richness Nor bc no baites ofF fressh inspecciouws,
carrion within. Wrouht bi Citenes, be drynk or medicyne,
Which ofF ther nature resemble to a shryne,
Thoruh richesse outward & beute souereyne, — 4248
And, who looke inward, be lik a foul kareyne.
t^hemW^S God ofF his grace amende al such outrage
error! j^j noblc pryucis, & saue hem fro such werre,
4218. on] in R. 4219. princis R.
4225. folk] men R — to susteene H, to susten R 3.
4227. rathe] rather H. 4230. princesisse R.
4231. riche] pfifcious H. 4234. Whan] And R.
4235. hem] om. R — wynne] have H.
4236. no mor straunge] noon mor strong H.
4242. enoisid H, enoysed P, enosed R, ennosyd H 5, be noysed
R3.
4247. a] om. H. 4248. outward richesse R,
BK. iij The Treason of Melius Suffetius 319
And hem enlumyne, disposymg ther corage 4252
In such fals worshepe that thei no mor ne erre;
Lik to Argus that thei mai seen a-ferre,
That no fals fagyng cause hem to be blynde,
Goddis nor goddessis to worshepe agejTi kjoide. 4256
And thouh that Romeyns dede worshepe & honour ^e'^R^^f''
To Romulus, bi a constre>Tit[e] dreede, R^^infeir.
Lat no man take exaumple off ther errour, '"no men
T-> 1 T 1 1 • 1 13 follow their
But to that Lord whos sides were maad rede 4260 example, but
ri-. Ill J J P'^'c ^=ir htarti
lo saue mankynde, and on a crosse was dede, — to the Lord who
Lat men to hym in cheeff ther loue obsenie, to save°theS!*^
Which can hem quite bet than thei can disserue.
[How Mecyus kyng of Albanoys beyng fals of his
othe and assurau/ice/ was drawen in to pecys.] ^
NEXT Romulus, with teris al bespreynt 4264 B^'a,^° w"'"*"
Onto lohn Bochas appered Mecius, fctlu'rw^'
Off cheer & look, & off his port ful feynt, hf^? Ju^ " '^
His fall declaryng, froward and despitous.
And he was callid eek Suffecius, 4268
Louh off birthe, and symple in vpgrowyng,
Off Albanoys till Fortune made hym kjTig.
Ageyn whos pride the Romayns gan werreie, ^uM^'S^de
Ful myhtili oppressyng his cuntre; 4272 ^ba^and^l
And for kyng Mecius list hem nat obeie, k'^'^^r^ °°
Thei caste hem fuUi auengid for to be, —
Because his berthe was but off low degre.
And was rise up onto estat roiall, 4276
Thei hem purpose yeue hym a sodeyn fall.
Hasti clymbyng off pouert set on heihte, ^ ^ve^hiTa"^
Whan wrong[e] title maketh hym to ascende, wdden fau.
With onwar peis off his owne weihte, 4280
A sodeyn fall maketh hym to descende.
Whan he list nat off surquedie entende
Fro whens he cam, nor hymsilff to knowe,
Till God & Fortune his pompe hath ouerthrowe. 4284
4252. illumyne R. 4256. is misplaced at foot of column R.
4263. 2nd can] om. H.
4265. Metius P. 4273. hem^om. H — tobej^e H.
4278. clymmjTige R.
4282. tentende H, to entende R 3.
1 MS. J. leaf 58 recto.
320 Melius rebels against Rome [bk. ii
fo°rctragainsf For this Mccius ofF prcsumpcioun
Rome Thouhte ageyn Romeyns his pride myhte auaile,
Gan werre ageyn hem be rebelHouw,
Was nat feerful ther noblesse to assaile, 4288
Till on a day was signed a bataile,
Bothe ther hoostis withynwe a feeld to meete,
To take ther part, were it off sour or sueete.
HostSwifh That tyme in Rome regned Hostilius, [p. 140] 4292
ufdMidl the^^'^ A manli man and a ful worthi knyht;
issue in single Tween hym concludid and kyng Mecius,
Thei tweyne to meete in steel armed bryht,
For bothe batailes to trien out the ryht 4296
Be iust accord, and therfro nat varie,
The parti venquysshid to be tributarie,
Hostilius won, y^j^j }^qqJJ p^^ hjm in subieccioun,
Withoute entretyng or any mor delay. 4300
And fynali, for short conclusiouw,
Kyng Hostilius the tryumphe wan that day,
That Albenoys ne koude nat sey nay,
But that Romeyns, as put is in memorie,* 4304
Be synguler bataile hadde wonwe the victorie.
Romans^ g'a^ined Thus haddc Romayns first possessioun
possession of QfF Albanoys tobeie hem & to dreede,
AlbaLonga, and • ij i i
Melius swore Mecms yolde, and sworn onto the toun 4308
never to rebel t- ^ i ii r r r i
again. JNeuer to rebeli, tor rauour nor tor meede.
But for he was double fouwde in deede
OtF his assuraunce, & fals to ther cite.
He was chastised, anon as ye shal see. 4312
fr"on!ise^whVn^'' Gcyn Fidenatcs, a cuntre off Itaile,
Hostilius asked Kyng Hostilius, for ther rebellious,
his aid against jo ' ^ ^
the Fidenae, Castc he wolde meete hem in bataile
For comouw profit and for diffencioun 4316
Bothe off his cite & off his roial toun.
And for tafForce his parti in werkyng,
OflF Albanois he sente onto the kyng,
amySS'To come in hast with his hool cheualrie, 4320
And tarie nat in no maner wise.
But make hym strong to sustene his partie
Lich his beheste, as ye han herd deuise.
4291. part] om. R. 4297. tovarieH, R3.
4304, 5. memoire, victoire B.
4310. for] when R. 4317. 2nd his] this R.
BK. li]
The treasonable Conduct of Metius
3"
But kyng Mecius ful falsli gan practise
A sleihti tresoun and a couert wile,
Ageyn his promis the Romeyns to begile.
Yit he, outward pretendyng to be trewe.
Cam to the feeld with a ful gret meyne,
Lyuyng in hope to see sum chaungis newe.
That he on Rome myhte auengid be.
And speciali that he myhte see
Kyng Hostilius, off froward [fals] envie,
That day outraied with al his cheualrie.
First whan he sauh the Romeyns enbatailed,
And Fidynates on that other side,
Ther wardis redi for to haue assailed.
He couertli dede on an hill abide,
And to nor fro list nat go nor ride.
Nor his persone putte in iupartie.
But who was strengest, to holde on that partie.
Wheroff the Romayns fill in suspecioun
Off kyng Mecius whan thei token heed,
Till Hostilius off hih discrecioun,
Thoruh his knyhthod put hem out off dreed,
And gan dissymyle off Mecius the falsheed;
And to conforte his knyhtis off entent,
Seide what he dede was doon bi his assent.
He was fill loth that his cheualrie
Sholde knowe theffect off Mecius tresoun.
Which cause myhte, in al or in partie,
Ful gret hyndryng be sum occasiou/!,
To deeme in hym falsnesse or tresouu;
Yit off trouthe, the story berth witnesse,
Al that he mente was ontrouthe & falsnesse.
Thus off manhod and off hih prudence
He to his knyhtis gaff herte & hardynesse.
Made hem sette on be so gret violence.
That he the feeld[e] gat off heih prowesse.
On Fidynates brouht in so gret distresse.
And so outraied off force on eueri side,
Tofor Romayns that thei ne durste abide.
4325, 26. are transposed H. 4332. fals] om. J
4342. taken H. 4345. dissymule H, dissemble R 3.
4355. hih] his R.
4324
pretended to be
loyal, while in
^,28 teat he hoped
^•^ to see the
Romans beaten.
4332
When the battle
began he drew
off to one side
and waited,
4336 intending to
join forces
with the
stronger party,
4340
and as the
Romans became
suspicious,
Hostilius calmed
their fears by
saying that
4344 Metius was
acting according
to his orders.
4348
4352
4356
The Romans
then set on and
defeated their
4360
322 The Punishment and Death of Metius [bk. ii
^parendy'de- And whan Mcclus sauh hem thus outraied,
RomtlTuccest ^^ ^ mancr off feyned fals gladnesse,
Lik as he hadde in herte be weel [ajpaied, 4364
To HostiHus anon he gan hym dresse,
HymsilfF reioisshyng bacouwtirfet Hknesse:
And for his menyng pleynli was conceyued,
So as he cam, riht so he was receyued. 4368
decek^under'^a Thus whan Mecius stood in his presence
pretence of faith. \Yith a pretense ofFfeithful stabilnesse,
And al thapport off trouthe in apparence,
He shadwed hath his expert doubilnesse — 4372
Under soote hony, couert bittirnesse,
Freendli visage, with woordis smothe & pleyne,
Thouh mouth & herte departed wer on tweyne.
knowKhiT' B"^ HostiHus hath al his fraude espied [p. 141] 4376
his heart was And his compassed falsnesse and tresouw,
divided, resolved .,, ii-i-r -i
to punish him And thetupon hath lusth lantasied
with a double . i t ■ i rr
torment, and A peync accotdyng, Ipeised oit resoun,
andamstotwo Hym to pun[y]she badouble passiouw; 4380
drivtoffin'^'^'This to meene, Hk as he was deuyded,
dhStions A double torment for hym he hath prouyded.
tearing his body
in pieces. This was his doom and his fatal peyne,
Be HostiHus contryued ofFiustise: 4384
His feet, his armys tween chariettis tweyne.
Naked and bare, the story doth deuise,
To be bouwde and knet in trauers wise,
Contrariousli the hors to drawe & hale 4388
Till al his bodi wer rent on pecis smale.
^unishment ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ cause off ful gtet ttouble,
was in a Founde ay in deede most ful off variauwce,
manner turrw -^
manner two-
fold, like his Therfor his peyne was maad in maner double, 4392
own doubleness. y-, .• i •irr i i i •
Riht as hymsilit was double m gouernauwce:
Fals off his oth, off heste and assurauwce.
And double in menyng as he hath perseuerid.
So at his eende his membris wer disseuered. 4396
4364. in herte be] be In hert R — paled J, payed P, H £.
4368. riht3 om. R.
4373. buttirnesse R.
4375. on] in R.
4381. This] Thus H. 4385. His]HusR.
4390. ful] riht H.
4394. 2nd ofTJ & H, his R — and] & his R.
BK. Il]
Bocbas on Fraud and Deceit
His feet wer drawe from the hed assonder,
Ther was no ioynt with other for tabide:
Heer was a legg, and an arm lay yonder;
Thus ech membre from other gan deuide.
And for he koude holde on outher side,
Be fals pretense to outher parti trewe,
Hym to chastise was founde a peyne newe.
323
His feet were
drawn asunder
fium his head:
here lay a leg,
there an arm,
just as he him-
4400 self had divided
his allegiance.
9 Bochas ageyn doubiliies and fals symulacion.^
LO, heer the eende off double fals menyng, 4404
Whan woord & herte be contrarious,
0th & beheste fals founden in a kyng,
Off Albanoys as was this Mecius!
0 noble Pryncis, prudent and vertuous, 4408
Lat neuer story afftir mor recorde,
That woord & deede sholde in you discorde.
For kyng Mecius variaunt off corage,
Whos inward menyng was euer on tresoun set, 4412
Treynes contreuyng with a fair visage.
His thouht, his herte with double corde fret.
Be Bochas called deceit and fals baret,
Which vice descryuyng, concludeth off resoun, 4416
Fraude off all fraudes is fals decepcioun.
For with a face flatryng and pesible,
Pretendyng trouthe vnder fals plesaunce.
With his panteris pereilous & terrible 4420
Trappeth innocentis with granys off myschauwce, —
1 meene deceit, that with hir c[o]untenaunce
Folkis englueth, symple and rek[e]les.
And them werreieth vnder a face off pes. 4424
Puissaunce off pryncis famous & honourable
Hath be deceyued bi this traitouresse.
And folk most prudent in ther estat notable
Ha[ue] be distourbled be such fals doubilnesse; 4428
4399. Heer] Wheer R.
4406. founden]] foundyng R.
4414. cordej cordis H. 4416.
4417. fraudes^ fraude H.
4421. granys]] gravis H, gravis R 3.
4426. Hath] ha H.
4428. distroublid J, H, distroubled R, P, dlstrowblede R 3,
dystourbed H 5 — Haue] Hath R, P.
^ MS. J. leaf 58 verso in margin, has the following beading:
A chapitle how prync>s sholde of ther othes and promises
be true /avoidyng all doubilnesse & decepcoun.
Such is the
punishment of
deceit, as suf-
fered by this
false Metius.
Princes, never
let it be said of
you that your
words are con-
trary to your
deeds.
With a face of
flattery. Deceit
entraps the un-
wary in his
perilous noose.
The puissance of
princes has been
imposed upon
by this
traitoress and
many a Inight
entricked for all
his renown.
vice] om. H — oflf] on H.
4422. hir] his H.
324 King Hostilius was consumed by Lightning [bk. ii
And many a knyht victorious off prowesse
Hath been entriked, for al his hih renouw.
Be treynes fouwde off deceit and tresouw.
Sifbe'declived.Deceit deceyueth and shal be deceyued,
for to him who Yor be deceit[e] who is deceyuable,
IS double, his 1 1 • 1 • • 1 • J
1 houh his deceitis be nat out parceyued,
To a deceyuour deceit is retournable;
Fraude quit with fraude is guerdoun couenable;
For who with fraude fraudulent is fouwde,
To a difFraudere fraude will ay rebouwde.
deceit returns
his fraud is quit
with fraud.
4432
4436
[Off kyng Hostilius that first wered purpill hewe
consumpt with firy Levene.] ^
Now I shall
write the fall of
Hostilius, who
WHAT sholde I mor off deceit endite,
Touchyng the fraude of ky wg Mecius ?
was the tirst r i* . °
Roman king to For I me caste now lynali to write
wear purp e. ^j^^ ^^^^^ ccnde ofF kyng Hostilius,
Which was the firste, as seith Valerius,
In Rome cite that auctour[e]s knewe,
Among kynges, that wered purpil hewe.
After all his
victories, his
fame began to
darken; he
neglected to
sacrifice to
Jupiter, who
consumed him
by lightning.
I send him
this envoy in
rebuke.
But afFtir al his tryuwphal noblesse
And many vnkouth knyhtli hih emprise,
Fortune tappalle the pris off his prowesse,
Made hym to be, in ful froward wise,
Rekles and slouh[e] to do sacrifise
To lubiter; for which, sent from heuene,
He was consumpt with sodeyn firi leuene.
4440
y)/^.^/^
4448
Heer men mai seen the reuoluciouns
OfF Fortunys double purueiaunce:
How the most myhti ofF Romayn champiouws
Haue sodenli be brouht onto myschauwce;
And ther outrages to put in remembraunce,
Greta conquestis turned to wo fro ioie,
For a rebuk I sende hem this lenuoie.
4452
[p. 142]
4456
4444. auctoures] auctour H.
4450. slouhe]] sleuth R 3.
4452. firi^ fier R.
4455. the] he R.
1 MS. J. leaf 58 verso.
BK. 113 An Envoy on Rome 325
[^ Lenuoie.3
OME, remembre ofF thi fundacioun, 4460 bS°S/Sl-
And off what peeple thou took[e] thi gynnyng: a„d °„2er^d
Thi bildyng gan off fals discencioun, k°o'' ttat a
OfF slauhtre, moordre & outraious robbyng, shau end in
R
rum.
Yevyng to vs a maner knowlechyng, — 4464
A fals begynnyng, auctours determyne,
Shal be processe come onto ruyne.
Wher be thyn Emperours, most souereyn ofFrenoun? J^nomiedTem-
Kynges exiled for outraious lyuyng? 4468 PF°","^"ii«<i
Thi SenatOUrS, with WOrthi ScipioUTI? lenatorsand
Poetis olde thi tryumphes rehersyng, thine aureate
Thi laureat knyhtis, most statli ther ridyng, ^°^
Thyn aureat glorie, thy* noblesse tenlumyne, 4472
Is be long processe brouht onto ruyne.
Wher is now Cesar, that took possessioun ^'.Tndi^^
First off thempire, the tryvmphe vsurpyng? '^^° 'o'<i ti»
-Ti 11 .*^-'° conquest?
Ur wher is Lucan, that maketh mencioun 4476 Where is the
Off al his conquest be cerious writyng? Octavian?
Octovian most solempneli regnyng?
Wher is become ther lordshepe or ther lyne ?
Processe off yeris hath brouht it to ruyne. 4480
[^Where is the palace or royall mancion, ^^a'^^th a
With a statue clere of golde shining »"^e °f ^^^^
By Romulus wrought & set on that dongeon? byRomuiusf
Where is thy temple of christal bright shewing, 4484 crys^ a/d
Made half of gold, most rich[e]ly moustryng ^''''° """p^'^
Pe heauenly spheres, by compasse wrought & line,
Which that long processe hath brought vnto ruinePJ
Wher is Tullius cheeff lanteme off thi toun, 4488 ^ilii^. t^d
In rethorik all other surmountyng? Scneca, Cato
Moral Senek or* prudent sad Catouti, Trajan, who
Ti • cr \ ' c shewed
1 hi comoun promt alwei preierryng, preference to
none'
4460. off] on H. 4462. bildyng] billvng R.
4471. statli] statly in R. 4472. gloir'e B — thy] thyn B.
4480. It] om. H, R — to] onto R.
4481. Stanza om. MSS. Supplied from TotuVs print, leaf Ixvi
verso, collated with Garrett MS.
4482. statue] stature G. 4483. on] in G.
4484. shewing] shynynge G. 4485. (monstryng Tot.)
4487, that] om. G — vnto] to G. 4488. thi] the H.
4490. or] off B, R.
326 An Envoy on Rome {bk. 11
Or rihtful Traian, most iust* in his demyng, 4492
Which on no parti list nat to declyne?
But long processe hath brouht al to ruyne.
wmpk ofW Wher is the temple off thi proteccioun
pjf^«=5y°n^^j3'i« Maad be Virgile, most corious off beeldyng? 4496
its images and Ymages erect for eueri regiouw, —
small bells that ,^,, ° , , r i i ii
rang out war? Whan any land was touwde rebeliyng,
Toward that part a smal belle herd ryngyng,
To that prouynce thymage dede enclyne, — 4500
Which bi long processe was brouht onto ruyne.
MtOTtlon'of con- Wher is also the grete extorsiouw
Euis and prefects, Off consuleris and prefectis oppressyng?
the collusion of _^_, ,. iri ii'5
dictators the Off dictatouts the lals collusiouw ? 4504
cemvirs and Off deccm vir the froward deceyuyng ?
" ""^^ And off tribunys the fraudulent werkyng?
Off alle echon the odious rauyne
Hath be processe the brouht onto ruyne. 4508
become" the Wher is become thi dominaciouw?
the whoiewlrM The gtete tributis [enrichyng] thi tresours?
under menace of xhe world al hool in thi subiecciouw,
The suerd off vengaunce all peeplis manacyng, 4512
Euer gredi tencrece in thi getyng,
Nothyng be grace, which that is dyuyne,
Which hath the brouht be processe to ruyne.
In thy highest j^j ^hi most hiest exaltaciouw, 4516
exaltation, con- .... .
trary to God andXhi ptoude tirautis provyncis conqueryng,
idolatrous, thou ,_,J,, . ,*, ■' in- ■' ^
climbed up lo (jrod conttairc be long rebellious,
above the stars, /^ij- jj 'ril* l_*
until vengeance (jroddis, godaessis lalsli obeieng,
Aboue the sterris bi surquedous clymbyng, 4520
Till [olde] vengaunce thi noblesse dede ontwyne
With newe compleyntis to shewe thi ruyne.
^"n.^Lay^'down Ley doun thi pride and thi presumpciouw,
thy pride and fhi pompous boost, thi lordshepis encresyng, 4524
presumption, r^ r ^ oi-l-i l
cast out thy Contcsse thyn outrage, & iei thi boost a-douM,
lift up thy heart Alle false goddis pleynli diffieng!
to Jesus! Lefft up thyn herte onto that heuenli kyng,
4492. iust] iustli B, J, iustly R.
4493. nat] om. R.
4499. part] parti R. 4510. The] Thi R — enrichyng] om. R.
4515. the brouht] brouht the H.
4520. clymyng R.
4521. vengauwce and noblesse are transposed H.
BK. Il]
An Envoy on Rome
327
4528
4532
Return from
Satam and
Jupiter and their
golden and silver
worlds to Him
who died to save
thee from ruin.
4536
Which with his blood, thi sorwes for to fyne.
Hath maad thi ransoun to saue the fro ruyne!
From olde Satume drauh thyn affeccioun.
His goldene world [e] fulli despisyng;
And fro lubiter make a digressioun.
His siluerene tyme hertili dispreisyng.
Resorte ageyn with will and hool menyng
To hym that is Lord oiF thordres nyne,
Which meekli deide to saue the fro ruyne.
Thouh Mars be myhti in his ascencioun,
Be influence victories disposyng,
And brihte Phebus yeueth consolacioun
To worldli pryncis, ther noblesse auaunsyng, —
Forsake ther rihtis and thi fals ofFryng,
And to that Lord bowwe doun thi chyne,
Which shadde his blood to saue the fro ruyne!
Wynged Mercuric, cheeff lord and patroun [p. 143] 4544 }^^^
Off eloquence and off fair spekyng, wh^'r^^M^?
Forsak his seruise in thyn opynyoun, »t"ry heavens
And serue the Lord that gouemeth all thyng — sake was
The sterrid heuene, the speeris eek meuyng, 4548 So^s. ^
Which for thi sake was crownyd with a spyne,
His herte eek perced to saue the fro ruyne!
Cast up off Venus the fals derisiouw,
Hir firi brond, hir flatries renewyng,
OflF Diana the transmutacioun,
Though Mars
be mighty and
Phoebus en-
courage the
worldly, forsake
their rites and
540 bow down to
the Lord who
shed His blood
for thee.
Leave Venus
and Diana who
. .-- '* forever
^•'^ changing, and
blind Cupid.
»T 1 'L 1 1 r 1 1 None but Christ
JNow brint, now pale, now cieer[ej, now drepyng, can save thee!
Off blynde Cupide the fraudulent mokkyng,
OfFIuno, Bachus, Proserpina, Lucyne:
For non but Crist may saue the fro ruyne!
Voide off Circes* the bestiall poisoun,
Off Cirenes the furious chauntyng;
Lat nat Medusa do the no tresoun.
And fro Gorgones tume thi lookyng;
And lat Sinderesis ha[ue] the in kepyng,
4556
Avoid the poison
of Circe, the
mad singing of
the Sirens; turn
4560 ^^y '°°'' ^^°^
the Gorgons and
all such
common trash!
4541. thi] \>tr H, R 3.
saue] servt H.
4538. victories] victorie R.
4542. bowwe] bew R. 4550.
4552. fire R.
4558. This stanza is transposed with the next R — Cirses B, J.
4559. chauntyng] enchauntyng H, R 3, enchanting P.
4560. nat] na R.
4562. haue the in] hathe in H.
328 An Envoy on Rome []bk. ii
That Crist \es\\ may be thi medicyne
Geyn such raskaile to saue the fro ruyne! 4564
fchfp'aSOff fals ydoles mak abluracloun,
may redress 'Yo SimulacFes do HO worshepyiifi;;
thine errors t\ t i i • /~i • r^_ o'
if thou Mak thi resort to Cristes passiouw,
obey Christ s ^^,, . , , . , ,
discipline. WhicH may be merci redresse thyn erryng, 4568
And be his grace repare thi fallyng,
So thou obeie his vertuous disciplyne,
Truste that he shal restore thi ruyne.
"creTsYs^'^aiways His mcrci is surmountyng ofF foisoun, 4572
and never Euct cucrcceth withoutc amenusyng,
Ay at the fulle ech tyme and ech sesouw,
And neuer waneth be non eclipsyng.
Whan men list make deuoutH ther reknyng, 4576
To leue ther synne & kome to his doctryne,
He redi is to keepe hem fro ruyne.
mercyTo G^ ^ Romc, Romc, al old abusioun
and repent^that QfF ccrimotties falsU disusyng, 4580
thee from Ley hem a-side, and in conclusiouw,
eternal ruin! r^ • r~\ ■> • i • • I
Cn (jrod merci, thi trespacis repentyng!
Truste he wil nat refuse thyn axyng,
The to receyue to laboure in his vyne, 4584
Eternali to saue the fro ruyne.
o noble Princes, Q ^qWq Pryucis, ofF hih discrcciouw
nothmg in this J' _
world is lasting: gecth iu this wotld thct is non abidyng,
with you only Peiscth couscicuce atwen will and resoun 4588
R°emen^b^r of_ Whil yc hafuc] Iciser, off herte ymagynyng,
Ye ber nat hen[ne]s but your disseruyng:
Lat this conceit ay in your thouhtis myne,
Bexauwple off Rome how al goth to ruyne! 4592
^ Explicit liber Secundus.
^ Sequitur prologus libri tercij.
4565. abiuracioun^ obiuracioun H. 4577- his] this R.
4578. hem] men R.
4580. difusyng R. 4589. ofT] in H.
4591. thouhtis] h^rtis H, hertes R 3, heartes P.
4592. how] om. H.
Rome how all
goes to ruin!
LYDGATE'S
FALL OF PRINCES
I'^S^
EDITED BY
HENRY BERGEN
PART II.
(Books III-V.)
The Carnegie Institution of Washington
Washington, 1923
3i
V
LYDGATE'S FALL OF PRINCES
PART IL
BOOKS III.-V.
^-^
CONTENTS OF PART II.
Book III 329-472
Book IV 473-584
Book V 585-673
»>l (hi
THE FALL OF PRINCES
BOOK III.
')'^ \
[ Prologue.]
LIK a pilgrym which that goth on foote, [p. 144]
And hath non hors to releue his trauaile,
Hot, dne [&] wery, & fynde may no boote
Off welle cold, whan thrust hym doth assaile, 4
Wyn nor licour, that may to hym auaile,
Riht so fare I, which in my besynesse
No socour fynde my rudnesse to redresse.
I meene as thus: I ha[ue] no fressh licour
Out off the conduitis off Calliope,
Nor thoruh Clio in rethorik no flour
In my labour for to refresshe me,
Nor off the sustren, in noumbre thries thre,
WTiich with Cithera on Pemaso duel!, —
Thei neuer me gaff dr^^nk onys off ther well!
Nor off ther sprynges cleer & cristallyne,
That sprang be touchyng off the Pegase, 16
The fauowr lakkith my makyng tenlumyne,
I fynde ther bawme off so gret scarsete.
To tame ther tunnys with sum drope of plente;
For Poliphemus thoruh his gret blyndnesse 20
Hath in me dirked off Argus the brihtnesse.
Our liff heer short, off wit the gret dulnesse,
The heuy soule troublid with trauaile.
And off memorie* the glacyng brotilnesse, — 24
Dreed & onkunnyng ha[ue] maad a strong bataile
With werynesse my sperit to assaile,
And with ther subtil crepyng in most queynte
Ha[ue] maad my sperit in makyng for to feynte. 28
Like a pilgrim
who goes wearily
on foot and findl
no spring to still
his thirst, so fare
I, knowing no
help for my
rudeness.
I have no fresh
water from the
fountain of
Calliope, no
flower of speech
from Clio to
refresh my
labour. Not
once have I
drunk of the
well on
Parnassus.
The blindness of
P<Jyphemu» has
darkened my
e>'ei.
Our life here is
short: wit is
dull and memory
untrustworthy.
Dread and
Ignorance have
crept in to
weaken my will
to write.
4. wellej] wellis H.
7. No] None R.
9. conduitis] conductis R.
17. The] Ther R — makyng] fauouT H.
24. oflF] om. R — memoTre B.
329
330 57?(f Prologue [bk. hi
mo^thTrVbfivion ^nd oucrmor, the feerful frowardnesse
battiueofforget- ^^ ^Y stcpmooder callid oblyuyouw,
fulness to shadow Hath maad a bastile off forvetilnesse,
my reason and _, oil
cause me to lose 1 o stoppc the passagc & shauwc my resouM, 32
That I myht haue no cleer direccioun
In translatyng off newe to qul^ke me,
Stones to write off old antiquite.
ild'oubiedSfbt. Thus was I set, and stood in double werre 36
d™t"o con- -^^ ^^^ meetyng off feerful weies tweyne.
unue my work The ton was this : who-euer list to lere,
and Ignorance, Whete-as good[e] will gau me constreyne,
who halted my t) i ^ i* i r i
pen. jDOcnas taccomplisshe tor to do my peyne, 40
Cam Ignorauwce with a maas off dreede
Mi penwe tarreste; I durst[e] nat proceede.
sidered ^a"t I Thus be my-selfF remewbryng on this book,
my pe'jfquaked' ^^ ^^ translate how I hadde vndirtake, 44
thauVid almost -^"^ P^^^ ofF chcer, astonyd in my look,
abandoned my Myn hand gan tremble; my penwe I felte quake.
That disespeired, I hadde almost forsake
So gret a labour, dreedful & inportable, 48
It to parfourme I fond my-silfF so on able.
hotStleihad Twen the residue off this gret iourne
st'iSd'checkmaJe ^^^ ^^^^^ P^''* thetofF that was begunwe,
for fear, like a J stood chckmaat for feer whan I gan see 52
wayfarer over- _ •ii-mtiii
taken by night. In my wcie how litil I hadde runwe;
Lik taman that failed day & sunwe.
And hadde no liht taccomplisshe his viage.
So ferr I stood a-bak in my passage. 56
darkenS"by°"' The nyht Cam on, dirked with ignorauwce,
f found"no one ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ cleemesse to discerne
to help me but In rethoHk for lak off suffisauwce,
the Piendes and _,• , . - , ,
Medusa, hard 1 he totchis out, & qucynt was the lanterne. 60
as stone. a j * i ■ m
And m this caas my stiie to gouerne,
Me to forthre I fond non other muse
But, hard as ston, Pierides and Meduse.
proTched^and Support was uon my dulnesse for to guie; 64
pur^^was"'' Pouert apptochid ; in stal crokid age:
empty, and MercuHC abseut and Philologie;
Bacchus 1 -I rr 1
far away. Ml puts ay liht and void ort al coignage.
29. ferdful R. 31. bastile] bataile H, batell R 3.
35. antiquite] auctorite H. 39. gan] can H.
66. Philologie] philosophye H.
BK. Ill]
The Prologue
331
Bachus ferr off to glade my corage; 68
An ebbe off plente; scarsete atte fulle,
Which of an old man makth the spent dulle.
But hope & trust to putte away dispair
Into my mynde ofF newe gan hem dresse; 72
And cheefF off all to make the wethir fair.
Mi lordis fredam and bounteuous largesse
Into myn herte brouht in such gladnesse.
That thoruh releuyng off his benygne grace, 76
Fals Indigence list me no mor manace.
But hope rose
again and the
weather bright-
ened, when rr.y
lord's generosity
brought me
gladness and
reUef.
A, how it is an hertli reioishyng
To serue a prynce that list to aduertise
Off ther seruauntis the feithful iust menyng,
And list considre to guerdone ther seruise.
And at a neede list hem nat despise.
But from al daunger that sholde hem noye or greue
Been euer redi to helpe hem and releue. 84
Ah, it it a
pleasure to
serve a pricce
who it ready
80 to reward and
help those who
are dependent
upon him!
J . -1 The mists of
■^T'jJ despair and
And thus releued be the goodliheed, [p.
And thoruh the noblesse off this most knyhtli maw, '^^.^^ vanished.
. . •' ' and I forthwith
Alle mystis cleend off disespeir & dreed, |>e«»n my
Trust, hope and feith into myn herte ran; 88
And on my labour anon forthwith I gan:
For be cleer support off my lordis grace,
Al foreyn lettyng fro me I dede enchace.
^ Folkis that vse to make grete viages.
Which vndirfonge long trauaile & labour.
Whan thei ha[ue] doon gret part off ther passages,
Off werynesse tasswagen ther rigour,
Age3m feyntise to fynde sum fauour,
Looke offte ageyn, parcell to be releued.
To seen how moch ther ioume is a-cheued.
Cause whi thei so offte looke ageyn,
Bakward turne look and eek visage,
Is onli this: that it may be seyn
To them how moch is doon off ther viage.
Eek weri folk that gon on pilgrymage
Reste hem sumwhile a ful large space.
Laborious soot to wipen from ther face.
Q2 People who
" make long
journeys or
undertake
laborious tasks,
often look back
to see how much
they have
90 accomplished.
and weary folk
who go on
100 pilgrimages
sometimes stop
to take a long
rest.
104
69. An] And R.
105. soot] swot H, swet R 3, swete P.
332 The Prologue [bk. hi
theij"hefvr T^^^ h^"y fardell among thei caste dou«
drin'king*rt''cooi ^^ certeyn bouwdis to do ther bakkis ese,
springs and At wcllis coldc cck ofF entcncloun io8
reckoning up the _^ - .
miles they have Urvnke tressii watos ther greuous thrust tapese,
travelled. /^ i i i • i
Ur holsum wynes ther appetit to plese,
Reknyng the miles be computaciouws,
Which thei ha[ue] passid, ofFcastellis & ofFtouns. 112
!o wv how '"" It doth hem ese the nouwbre for to knowe
much of their Sithe thei began off many gret iournees,
journey is over; ^^ , . ° .
Off hih[e] mouwteyns and off valis lowe,
And straunge sihtes passyng be cuntrees, 116
Thunkouth bildyng off burwes & citees,
Couwtyng the distaunce fro toun[e]s & the spacis:
This ther talkyng at ther restyng placis.
f<S>ifcrd"to The residue and the surplusage
see what still lies yi^ei rekne also off ther labour komyng,
before them. . . J o^
Thynke it is a maner auauwtage
To haue & seen a cleer[e] knowlechyng
Off thynges passid & thynges eek folwyng; 124
For to ther hertis it doth ful gret plesauwce,
Whan al such thyng is put in remembrauwce.
BochaJ'^aft And semblabH lohn Bochas, as I fynde,
was astonished Q^^ tume his bak, look and cfoluntenaunce, 128
when he con- ' . , . ,
sidered the Fall And to remembrc, apoyntyng in his mynde
of Pnnces from rj^ , . i i • i
Fortune's wheel, lo the stories rchersed in substauwce
In his too bookis off sorwe & displesauwce,
Hymsilff astonyd, merueilyng a gret deel 132
The fall off pryncis fro Fortunys wheel.
the7had bought Off ther onhapp, as he doth reherce,
their misfor- Toward hemsilff the cause doth rebouwde;
tunes upon
themselves Ther clymbyng up the heuenes for to perce, 136
through excessive- , ,,. ..."'■ i i i i
ambition and In worldli Hchessc tcncteccn and habouwde,
Ther gredi etik doth hemsilff confouwde;
And ther thrust off hauyng onstauwchable
Causeth ther noblesse to be so variable. 140
Es'lhe^S" Hih clymbyng up, off resouw who can see,
and causes men DuUeth off btayncs the memoriall,
to fall; and those .•' • i -i o i i
who covet too Blutitcth the sihte, in hih & low degre,
everything. Which from a-loffte makith hem haue a fall. 144
112. 2nd ofT] om. H.
116. be] the R. 117. burwes] Bourhes R.
118. distauncis H.
143. &] or H.
BK. Ill]
The Fable told by Andalus
333
Men seyn off old, who that coueitith all,
At onset hour suchon shal nat chese.
But al his gadryng attonys he shal lese.
For worldli folk which so hih arise 148
With the gret peis off woridli habundaunce,
And with the weihte off froward couetise, —
Namli wher Fortune holdeth the ballaunce, —
With onwar turn off sum onhappi chaunce, 152
This stormy queen, this double fals goddesse,
Plungeth hem doun from al ther gret richesse.
Wherfore Bochas heeroff to make a preeff
Sheweth to purpos a sentence ful notable, 156
A cleer exaumple off onwar such myscheeff.
Write off an auctour be maner off a fable,
Al-be the menyng be ful comendable.
And weel accordyng in conclusioun 160
To the cleer purpos off this entencioun.
Fortune is
alwa>'s ready-
to plunge
woridly folk
down from
their riches.
Therefore
Bochat tells a
fable to shew
how such un-
expected mij-
chief comes.
^ Finis Prologi.
pDacipit liber Tercius]
[How Andalus doctor of Astronomye concludith/
how princys sholdenot atwite constellacions nor
fortune of theire vnhappy fallyng but theire owne
demeritys and vicious lyuyng.] ^
AT Naples whilow, as he doth specefie.
In his 3'^outhe whan he to scoole went,
Ther was a doctowr off astronomie,
Famous off cunnyng & riht excellent.
Off hym rehersyng, shortli in sentement,
His ioie was most to studyen and to wake;
And he was callid Andalus the blake.
He radde in scoolis the meuyng off the heuene,
The kynde off sterris and constellaciouns,
The cours also off the planetis seuene,
Ther influencis and ther mociouns,
And heeld also in his op^iiyouns.
The fall off pryncis, the cause weel out souht.
Cam off themsilff & off Fortune nouht.
154. gret] om. R.
156. ful] most H.
^ MS. J. leaf 60 verso.
When Bochas
went to school
in Naples there
was a doctor of
164 astronomy called
Andalus the
Black, who
understood the
course of the
stars and be-
lieved that the
168 ^^ °^ Pjl""*
was caused by
themselves aloae
and not by
Fortuna.
172
334 '^k^ Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty [bk. hi
StKe stars Nor the steros wer nothyng to wite, 176
t"o bimrfor"^ ^^ ^^^^ meuyng nor be ther influence,
tune'^s'^ '"'''°^" ^°^ ^^^^ "^^" sholde off riht the heuene atwite
For no froward worldli violence :
For this clerk ther concluded in sentence, 180
How men be vertu longe may contune
From hurt off sterris outher off Fortune.
Sion'Ki'^Ther owne desert is cheeff occasiouw
meL°"who'h°fve ^^ ^^^ onhap, who-so taketh heede, 184
behave°lithe° ^^^ ^^^^ dcmeritis onwarli put hem doun,
well or ill. Whan vicious liff doth ther bridil leede.
Cours off Fortune nor off the sterris rede
Hyndrith nothyng geyn ther felicite, 188
Sithe off fre chois thei ha[ue] ful liberte.
Sn'^iifmSy' God punsheth synne in many maner wise;
ways; evil-doing Sum wc hc chastisith for ther owne auail:
always calls lor ™, .
retribution. Men may off resoun m such cas deuise, 192
Synwe ay requereth vengauwce at his tail.
God off Fortune taketh no couwsail,
no one fs°mor"e^' ^or from hir mcuyng no man is mor fre,
h"rThan^Giad^ ^^ clerkis writc,* than is Glad Pouerte. 196
AndtkTs'used And onto purpos, this auctour ful notable,
rektmg to his To his scoletis ther beyng in presence,
pupils this fable, pui dcmurli gan reherse a fable,
With many a colour off sugred eloquence; 200
Theron concludyng the summe off his sentence
Touchyng a striff, which he dede expresse,
Atwen Glad Pouert & this blynd goddesse.
[A disputacion between fortune & glad pouert.] ^
Po"vm^!'who /^VODAndalus: "Whilom off fortune 204
dUh^eUed, * ^^ I" ^ streiht place ther sat Glad Pouerte,
tattered woman, Which rcsemblid off look & figure
sat where three . , , ,.
roads met. A rckles woman, most ougli on to see.
At a naruh meetyng off hih-weies thre, 208
Al totorn, to-raggid and to-rent,
A thousend pachchis vpon hir garnement.
178. atwite] awyte R. 180. concludyng H.
188. Hyndryng R — ther] the R,
196. writen B. 203. this] his H.
209. to-raggid] & raggid H.
210. garment R, garmente P.
^ MS. J. leaf 60 verso.
BK. Ill]] The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty 335
She was hidous bothe off cheer and face,
And in semyng void off sorwe and dreed.
And hi that way as Fortune dede pace,
And off Glad Pouert sodenli took heed.
She gan to smyle & lauhhe at hir in deed,
Bi a maner scomyng in certeyn.
Off hir array she hadde so gret disdeyn.
Whos froward lauhtre, whan Pouert dede espie
How she oflF hir hadde indignacioun,
She roos hire up off hih malencolie,
PleynH to shewe hire entencioun,
Withoute good day or salutacioun,
Doyng to Fortune no maner reuerence,
Vnder these woordis declaryng hir sentence:
^ 'O thou Fortune, most fool off foolis all.
What cause hastow for to lauhhe at me,
Or what disdeyn is in thyn herte fall?
Spare neueradeel, tell on, lat me see.
For I ful litil haue a-do with the;
OfF old nor newe I ha[ue] noon aqueyntaunce
Nouther with the nor with thi gouemaunce.'
And whan Fortune beholdeth the maneer
OfF Glad Pouert in hir totom[e] weede.
And kneuh also be contenaunce & cheer.
How she off hire took but litil heede,
Lik as she hadde to hir no maner neede, —
The which[e] thynges conceyued and Iseyn,
To Pouerte she ansuerde thus ageyn;
^ 'Mi scornful* lauhtre pleynli was for the.
Whan I the sauh so megre, pale and leene,
Nakid and cold, in gret aduersite,
Scabbid, scuruy, scallid and oncleene
On bak and body, as it is weel seene.
Many a beeste walke in ther pasture.
Which day be day off newe thou doost recure.
216
She wa» very
unattractive,
but without
sorrow or fear;
and when
Fortune hap-
pened to come
aiong and
caught sight of
her. Fortune
began to laugh
at her ragged
clothe*.
At thi* Poverty
arose indig-
nantly, and
without bidding
220 Fortune good-
day (aid:
224
"O Fortune,
greatest of all
fools, why do
you laugh at
me? We have
very small
228 acquaintance
with one
another."
Fortune saw
232 tii^t Glad
Poverty had
little respect
for her and
answered:
236
"I laughed
when I saw
2 jQ you so thin
^ and pale and
cold, so scurvy
and unclean.
You dwell in
the field*
244
211. She]SchoR.
228. neueradeel] not adeel J, not a dele P.
234. know R.
236. hadde] om. R.
239. scornful] soruhful B.
243. and] om. R.
336 The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty [bk. hi
tti?a*p''your£dHauyng nothyng to wrappyn in thyn hed [p. 148]
oid'matSg""^ Sauff a brod hat, rent out ofFnattis olde,
Sin'theJ"^ ^"^ °^^^" hungri for defaute ofF bred, 248
Tdo 'h"^ ™*°'' Slepyng on straw[e] in the frostis colde.
gnawed on And whcr thou comcst, as men may weel beholde,
your 8ta . ^qx feet ofF the, childre them withdrawe,
And many a dogge hath on thi staff ignawe. 252
olousYo all To alle estatis thou art most odious,
flee°8'yoS7'^'^^ ^^!^ with the will ha[ue] no dahauwce,
presence." Thi felaship is so contrarious,
Wher thou abidest ther may be no plesauwce. 256
Folk hate so dedii thi froward aqueyntauwce,
That fynali, I dar conclude off the,
Wher-euer thou comest thi felaship men fle!'
pJvertw how Whan Glad Pouert gan pleynli vndirstonde 260
watto°herr8he These rebukes rehersed off Fortune,
replied: ' The rud[e] resouws that she took on honde,
Which frowardli to hire she dede entune.
As Pouert were a refus in comune, 264
Bi the repreuis that Fortune on hir laide;
For which Pouert replied ageyn & saide:
wScei^lin^hat ^ 'Fortune, 'quod she, 'touchyng this debat,
i^fItour°of'^ W^''^^ *^ff malice thou doost ageyn me take, 268
my own freewill. Be wcel certcyu, touchyng my poore estat,
be poor and I off fte will thi fauout ha[ue] forsake.
possess great And thouh folk seyu thou maist men riche make,
noVeace" of ^"^^ Yit I ha[ue] leuetc be poore with gladnesse, 272
mmd. Than with trouble possede gret richesse.
m^ki'°a"lne''°" For thouh thou seemc benygne & debonaire
fwSc^fat'and*"'^ ^^ ^ maner couwtirfet apparence,
weu fed Fat & weel fed, with rouwde chekis faire, 276
With many colours off trouthe as in pretence,
As ther off feith wer werrai existence, —
But vnder all thi flour^s off fresshnesse
The serpent glidith, off chaung & doubilnesse. 280
ciothirind"'^'' And thouh thi clothyng be of purpil hewe,
have many With gtet awaityug off many chauwbereris,
servants and i j o i i j • i
jewels, neverthe- Uit gold & penc cch clai chauwges newe,
ready to fight Clothes off gold & sondty fressh atiris, 284
*'""■ And in thyn houshold ful many officeris, —
271. maist] may H.
BK. Ill] The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty 337
Yit I dar weel putte in iupartie,
With the to plete and holde chauwpartie/
Thus Glad Pouert gan wexen inportune.
Off cheer contraire, off look & off language,
Ageyn this ladi which callid is Fortune,
That off disdeyn she fill into a rage:
^ 'Behold,' quod she, 'off Pouert the corage.
In wrechidnesse standyng disconsolat.
How ageyn me she is now obstynat!
She canwat see, how she stant outraied,
Fer from the fauour off my felicite,
Yit off pride she is nat disamaied,
Nor* list nat bowwe for tobeie me,
Thouh she be cast in mendicite,
Ferthest a-bak, I do you weel assure.
In myscheeff set off any creature.
But treuli, Pouert, for al thi truaundise,
Maugre thi pride and thi gret outrage,
I shal the pun[y]she in ful cruel wise.
To make the loute vnder my seruage.
Which resemblest a dedli pale ymage.
That were off newe rise out off his graue.
And yit off pride darst ageyn me raue/
But whan Fortune hadde these woordis said,
Glad Pouert gan falle in gret gladnesse,
And ageyn Fortune with a sodeyn braid.
She gan hir conceit out shewe & expresse:
^ 'Fortune,* quod she, 'thouh thou be a goddesse
Callid off foolis, yit lerne this off me.
From thi seruage I stonde at liberte.
But yiff I shal algatis haue a-doo
With the in armis, most cruel & vengable,
Touchyng the quarel that is atwen vs too,
Ther is o thyng to me riht confortable.
That thi corage is flekeryng & onstable;
And wher an herte is in hymsilff deuyded,
Victorie in armys for hym is nat prouyded.
288. Importune R, H. 289. contrary H.
298. Nor] Nar B — for] om. H.
303. gretl om. J.
318. that] which H — atwen] tween J.
288
292
Fortune then
lost her temper
and said:
"Behold the
presumption of
this wretched
creature, she
cannot
296
see bow misera-
ble she is with-
out my favour,
and yet she is
full of pride!
300
"TruIy.Poverty,
for all your
outrageous con-
ceit, 111 punish
304 y°" *''<^ make
you bow down
in my service.
You look as if
you had just
risen from the
grave!"
308
On hearing this
Glad Poverty re-
joiced and said:
"Fortune, if
fools call you a
goddess, I, at
312 any rate, am free
from your sub-
jection; and
since we are
going to fight,
it is comforting
to know that
you have no
,Tfi firmness of
-5^° heart.
320
freely forsaken
worldly wealth,
and if once
your servant, I
am now emanci-
pated from your
power.
338 The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty [bk. hi
yirahhoS"" Me Ust[e] nouther flatre the nor fage,
Ke'^o'VoSr°'-'^°'" ^^^ tenoynte be adulaciouw, 324
kind: I have Thouh flat[e]rie & feyned fals language
Approprld be to thi condicioun;
And in despit off thi presumpcioun,
I ha[ue] forsake off my fre volunte 328
All the tresours off worldli vanite.
Whilom I was, as thou hast deuised, [p. 149]
Seruant to the, and onto thi tresours;
But fro thi daunger now that I am fraunchised, 332
Sekyng off the nouther helpe nor socours,
Manace kynges & myhti emperours:
For Glad Pouert, late nouther soone,
With thi richessis hath nothyng to doone. 336
For thouh thou haue enbracid in thi cheyne
Worldli pryncis & goodes transitorie,*
And riche marchantis vndir thi demeyne,
Yeuest to knyhthod conquest and victorie,* 340
The fadyng palme off laude & veynglorie,* —
But whan echon thi fauour han recurid,
Than is Glad Pouert fre fro thi lure assurid.
setvantTstand ^^^ ^^^ seruantis standen vnder dreede,
h"/"^ °f y"""" Quakyng for feer[e] off thi doubilnesse;
For nouther wisdam, force nor manheede,
Fredam, bouwte, loue nor ientilesse
Mai in thi fauour ha[ue] no sekirnesse;
Thei be so possid with wyndis in thi barge,
Wher-as Glad Pouert goth freli at his large.
"You may hold
worldly princes
and rich
merchants in
subjection,
Glad Poverty
has wholly
escaped your
lure.
deceit;
Glad Poverty
alone is free.
344
348
" Desiring
nothing, I am
not afraid of
your menaces.
Thi manacyng doth me no duresse.
Which worldli pryncis dredyn euerichon. 352
Thei may weel quake for losse off gret richesse;
But I, Glad Pouert, theroff desire non.
As flowe & ebbe al worldli thyng mut gon;
For afftir flodis off Fortunys tyde, 356
The ebbe folweth, & will no man abide.
324. tonoynte R.
331. onto] to R.
338 ■ ■
331. onto] to R.
338. transitolres B, R, J, transytoryes H 5, transitories P.
340. victoires B, R, J, victories P, victoryes H 5.
341. veyngloires B, R, J, vainglories P, veyngloryes H 5.
347. gentilnesse R, H, gentlenes P. 348. Mai] Man R.
349. wynde R.
355. worldli] erthly H.
BK. Ill] The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty 339
Flowe and ebbe be to me bothe aliche;
I dreede nothyng thi mutabilite,
Mak whom thou list[e] outher poore or riche;
For I nothyng will requere off the,
Nouther lordshepe nor gret prosperite:
For with thi gifFtes who that hath to doone.
Off chaunges braideth offter than the moone.
Out off pouert cam first these emperours
That were in Rome crownyd with laurer;
Fredam & largesse made hem first victours,
Causyng ther fame to shyne briht and cleer,
Till couetise brouht hem in daunger,
Whan thei off foli, in ther most excellence,
To thi doubilnesse dede reuerence.
For whan fredam a prynce doth forsake,
And couetise put awei largesse.
And streihtnesse is into houshold take.
And negardship exilith ientilesse.
Than is withdrawe from ther hih noblesse
The peeplis herte; and, pleynli to deuise,
Off ther seruauntis farweel al good seruise.
Al such sodeyn chaungis in comune
In this world vsid now fro day to day,
Echon thei come be fraude off fals Fortune;
Experience hath put it at assay,
Loue, trouthe & feith be gon [so] ferr away.
And yiff that trust with pryncis wil nat tarie,
Litil merueile thouh the peeple varie.
For thoruh thi chaungis off fraudulent fairnesse,
Ther is now vsid in eueri regioun
Glad cheer out shewed with couert doubilnesse,
Vnder the courtyn off symulacioun.
So secre now is adulacioun.
That in this world may be no sur[e]te.
But yiff it reste in Glad Pouerte.
Yit off thi pereilous froward variaunce
I sette no stor, treuli as for me;
For al thi frenship concludeth with myschaunce,
With sodeyn myscheeff off mutabilite.
Which yeueth me herte to haue a-do with the:
358. be]om. R. 375. gentliness H.
383. so] om. J, R. 390. secret H. 397. me] my R.
"Flow and ebb
of fdtune are
alike to me.
Do at jrou will
■?6o '^^ others; I
ask nothing of
364
"The emperors
of Rome first
arose oat of
poverty, nor did
they fall until
they became
368 covetous and
worshiped you.
"When a
3 / * prince becomes
avaricious he
loses the love of
his people;
376
and sudden
changes are to be
,gQ expected when
^ the honour of
princes has de-
parted.
384
"Owing to you,
people every-
where dissem-
ble; there is no
surety eicept
in Glad Poverty.
392
"I have no fear
of your
froward incon-
stancy:
my poor estate
is quite safe
390 from your
vicissitudes."
340 The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty [|bk. hi
For suffisauMce in my poore estaat
Shal to thi chau«ges seyn sodenli chekmaat.'
thb^Fottunr"^ Fortune almost with anger disespeired, 400
"Povert°""'she ^^ these woordis took ful gret greuauwce.
said, "if i did (J 'Pouert,' quod she, 'which maist nat been apeired !
not snow you t* t i i
my power men Jout 1 now shewe ageyu the my puissaunce,
iTtUe of me. " Mcn wolde Htil accouMte my substauwce, 404
O myhti Pouert ! O stronge Hercules !
Which ageyn[s] me puttest thi-silfFin pres!
li^po^se" " Supposest thou it sholde the auaile,
that you can Quthcr bc forcc or be hardynesse 408
overcome me, O i-i -im
strong Hercules? Xo hauc a-do With mc m bataile,
Princess of Which am off conquest & off hih prowesse
Conquest-and t ii*j i j* j i
Arms!" lu armys calhd ladi and pryncesser
For ther is non so myhti conquerour, 412
That may preuaile withoute my fauour.'
"Ait"ough''P'^' ^ Off these woordis Pouert nothyng afferd, [p. 150]
have neither Ansucrde ageyn, thus pleynH in sentence:
weapons nor iit*i ill J
armour, let us 'Thouh hecr 1 ue* haue spere, sheeld nor suerd, 416
see if you dare -^ , , j*fr
wrestle with me, JNor choseu armour to stonden at airrence,
Pollex nor dagger to make resistence,
But bare and naked, anon it shal be seyn,
Wher thou with- me darst wrastlen on this pleyn. 420
dilbn that"""' Which shal be doon vnder condiciouw
neither of us That non off vs shal hymsilff withdrawe,
shall withdraw, •^^ ^ • ^ rr •
and that the But stillc abide off- entenciouw,
the other to _ Till he that venquysshe ordeyned hath a lawe, 424
coey IS wi . g^^j^ ^g \\yn\ Hkith, ageyn[e]s his felawe.
The which[e] lawe shal nat be delaied
To be acomplisshid on hym that is outraied.'
began' to^smiief ^ff whos woordcs Fortune ageyn gan smyle, 428
"Who shall be That Pouett proffred so proudli to assaile.
judge between i • i i- -i l M
us? And vpon this she stynte a htil while,
And to Pouert she putte this opposaile:
^ 'Who shal,' quod she, 'be iuge off this bataile, 432
Or yeue a doom iustli atwen vs tweyne
Off this quarell which we shal darreyne?
416. heer I ne] I heer B, R, P. 417. stonde in at R.
420. Wher] WheJ)(fr H — on] in R.
424. venquysshith H — haue H.
434. OflG on H, R 3.
BK. Ill] The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty 341
I axe also a-nother questioun
Touch yng thi profre ofF furious outrage:
Wher-as thou puttest a condicioun
And a lawe with ful proud language, —
Wher shaltow fynden pleggis or hostage
To keepe the promys which thou doost ordeyne,
TherofF tabide the guerdouw or the peyne?
I meene as thus: yifFther be set a lawe
Atween vs too or a condicioun
Be sur[e]te, which may nat be withdrawe,
As vnder bond or obligacioun;
But there is nouther lawe nor resoun
May bynde a beggere, yifF it be weel souht,
Whan it is preued that he hath riht nouht.
Thi sect off pouert hath a proteccioun
From all statutis to gon at liberte,.
And from al lawe a pleyn exempcioun:
Than folweth it, yifF thou bounde the
To any lawe that may contreuid be.
It wer fraude, pleynli to endite,
Which hast riht nouht thi parti to aquite.
Thou art so feeble, yifF it cam therto,
That thou were brouht onto vttrauwce,
For noun power, whan al that wer do,
Thou sholdist faile to make thi fynaunce,
Bothe destitut ofFgood and ofFsubstaunce;
And sithe no lawe thi persone may coarte,
It wer foli with suchon to iuparte.
YifF I wolde compulse the to wrak,
Taxe ofF the the tresour ofF kyng Dane,
On that parti thou stondest ferr abak,
Mi paiement so longe sholde tarie,
Indigence wolde make the to varie.
.And yifF I wolde thi persone eek compare
To Alisandre, — thi sides been ful bare!
And fynali thou stondest in such caas
OfF miserie, wrechidnesse and neede,
That thou myhtest ofF resoun seyn* alias,
Bothe forsake off frenshipe & kenreede.
And ther is non dar plegge the for dreede:
449. Thi] The P — sect] feet R.
472. seyn] syngen B, syng R, synge J, sing P, say R 3.
473. &] & of H.
436
"And if I win,
where will you
find surety to
keep your
promise?
440
"If a condition
be set between
us, how can
a beggar, who
AAA has nothing, be
^^ bound to keep
it?
448
"Your sect of
Poverty goes
free of all law; it
would be a
fraud for you
to bind your-
452 self without
having any
security.
fi "And at you are
4-50 destitute, and
exempt from
all penalties, it
were folly to
have ado with
you.
460
"I should have
to wait a long
.f-t time before I
* ■* got anything out
of you!
468
"\Iiserable and
without friends
or kin, no one
would stand
472 surety for
you; yet, like a
vainglorious
fool, you expect
to wia."
342 The Dispute between Fortune and Glad Poverty [bk. hi
Yit lik a fool supprisid with veynglorie,
Hopest off me to wynne the victorie,' 476
Pov«S"ihave^ Quod Glad Pouert, *I doute neueradeel
ever that rsh*au ^Hat the victoric* shal passen on my side.
«kany°piedge ^^^SS^ ^ hostages, lat hem go farweel!
of you, except I axe no mor off al thi grete pride, 480
that you will r) • j i i m i • i
promise to fight tsut to the ccnde that thou wilt abide.
Plegge thi feith, al-be that sum wen* seith,
To truste in Fortune ther is ful litil feith.
n^sfcurify^'tr And for my part, in this hih emprise, 484
b^dy.ToTcaT ^'^^^^ ^ ha[ue] pleggis nouther on nor tweyne,
take that and Mor sur hostage can I nat deuise,
keep It in prison ^ -fr i i • • * i
for ever if you tJut yitt SO be the victorie* thou atteyne,
have the victory .--pi | i t i- i i • 'i
1 han yelde my bodi bouwden in a cheyne, 488
Perpetueli, lik the condiciouw,
With the tabide fettrid in prisouw.'
m™h\n ever!^ Than Fortune louh mor than she dede afForn,
to niture"for^ Whan she sauh Pouert so presumptuous; 492
a beggar tohave In hir* arrai al ruggid and totorn,
heart! And hadde nouther rente, lond nor hous.
*It is,' quod she, 'a thyng contrarious
Onto nature, who that can aduerte, 496
To a beggere to haue a sturdi herte.
yot°ofwhat"use"And y iff that I the venquisshid in bataile, [p. 151]
me"tokee^* '° ^^ wcre to me no worshepe nor auauwtage, —
your empty What sholde thi bodi onto me auaile, coo
belly full „, . -1 1- • 5
in prison? 1 he tcnprisowne streihtli in a eager
It sholde been a charge and a costage,
Thyn empti wombe ech day to fulfill,
YifFthou myhtest haue* vitaile at thi will! 504
'\tL\ZV° And yifF I wolde my-silfF to magnefie,
triumph behind Tokne ofF tryumphc afftir my char the leede,
my chariot, men i i i • •
would say. Men wolde deeme it a maner moquerie,
fool, who has And scyn in scorn : 'tak off that fool good heede, 508
beggarT * How he z bcggcrc hath ouercome in deede,
Fauht with hym for to encrece his name,
Which conquest turneth to his disclandr^ & shame! '
478. victoire B. 482. sumwien B.
483. litil] om. R.
487. victoire B. 493. hir] his B, R, J — ruggid] ragged
R 3, H 5, to ragged P, rogged R.
504. han B.
511. sclaundre & difFame R 3.
BK. Ill] Fortune seizes Glad Poverty by the Head
343
Yit whan I haue brouht the to vttraunce,
Mi power shewed and my grete myht,
And thyn outrage oppressid hi vengaunce, —
Afftir al this, as it is skile and riht,
It shal be kouth in eueri manys siht,
Out declarid the gret[e] difference
Twen thi feblesse* & my gret excellence.
Than to represse thi surquedie attonys,
Cruel Orchus, the teidogge infernall,
Shal reende thi skyn assonder fro thi bonys.
To shewe my power, which is imperiall,
And to declare in especiall,
Pouert recleymed onto Pridis lure,
With me to plete may no while endure/
And sodenli, or Glad Pouert took heed,
Fortune proudli first began tassaile;
And onwarli hent hire bi the hed,
Demyng off pride, that she may nat faile
Thoruh hir power to venquysshe this bataile.
But it may falle a dwery in his riht
Toutraie a geaunt, for al his grete myht.
God taketh non heed to power nor to strengthe.
To hih estaat[e] nor to hih noblesse.
To squar[e] lemys, forged on breede or lengthe.
But to quarelis groundid on rihtwisnesse;
For out off wrong may growe no prowesse.
For wher that trouthe holdeth chau?npartie,
God will his cause be grace magnehe.
Wherfor Pouert, strong in hir entent,
Liht and delyu[e]re, auoid off al fatnesse,
Riht weel brethed, & nothyng corpulent,
Smal off dieete surfetis to represse,
Ageyn Fortune proudli gan hir dresse,
And with an ougli, steme cruel face,
Gan in armys hir proudli to embrace.
"At any rate,
5^2 j^fj„ I have
beaten you
everybody ?rilJ
see the great
difference be-
tween us, and
then rU let
510 Orcu» tear you
in pieces to shew
my power."
520
524
With that.
Fortune sud-
denly seized
Glad Poverty by
528 ^^* head.
53 a
thinking it
would be easy to
overcome her.
But God always
defends the
right.
536
. and Poverty,
•S^O thin and active,
with an ugly
expression on
her face.
544
518. febilnesse B, feebilnesse H, feblenesse R.
520. tei dogge R, Teydogge H, tidogge J, tye dogge P, tey-
dogges R 3.
528. hent] tooke H. 531. dwery] down R.
539. God] Gog {blunder) R. 543. Dietis H.
545. with] om. R.
546. enbrace R. H.
344 Glad Poverty overcomes Fortune [^bk. hi
fmund\^=r""' Pouert was sclendre & myhte wed endure;
EhedVodT Fortune was round[e], short off wynd and breth. 548
And wombes grete oppressid with armure,
For lak ofF wynd the grete stuff hem sleth;
And many a man bryngeth to his deth:
For ouermekil off any maner thyng 552
Hath many on brouht to his ondoyng.
bmerto'br'' A mene is best, with good[e] gouernaunce;
neither too fat To mekil is uouht, uor ouer-gret plente:
nor too lean, and , . ' .
sufficiency is Gretter nchesse is founde in suffisauwce 556
superfluity) Than in the flodis off superfluyte.
And who is content in his pouerte
And gruchchith nat, for bittir nor for soote,
What-euer he be, hath Fortune vndir foote, 560
fn^lKr^'^^Coueitise put hym in no dispeir, —
Wherfor Pouert, off herte glad and Hht,
Leffte Fortune ful hih up in the heir,
And hir constreyned off verai force & myht. 564
For Glad Pouert off custum and off riht,
Whan any trouble ageyn hir doth begynne,
Ay off Fortune the laurer she doth wynwe.
he?'dowTgave ^ Maugrc Fortunc, in the hair aloffte 568
her such a biowConstreyned she was be Wilful Pouerte,
over the heart -' -i i • r t r i rr
with her sharp That to the erthe hir fal was ful onsoffte:
For off Pouert the bony sharp[e] kne,
Sclendre and long & leene vpon to see, 572
Hitte Fortune with so gret a myht
Ageyn the herte, she myht nat stande vpriht:
nof rise."""'^ To signefie that Pouert with gladnesse,
(Poverty in con- Which is Content with smal possessioun 576
tentment always ,, ^ r rr- • ^
holds Fortune in And geueth no fors off tresour nor nchesse,
subjection; ^- .^ _ i i •
Hath ouer l^ortune the dommaciouw,
And kepith hir euer vnder subiecciouw,
Wher worldli folk, with ther riche apparaile, 580
Lyue euer in dreed Fortune wolde faile.
J^'b'^fore"" The poore man affor the theeff doth synge [p. 152]
thieves; it is the Vnder the wodis with fresh notis shrille;
nch man who is . rirrtrr 11
afraid.) The Hche man, ful feerful off robbynge, 584
553. ondoyng] endyng R, R 3.
568. alofFte] of lofte R. 570. hir] his R.
583, woode H.
BK. Ill] Fortune must submit to Glad Poverty
345
Quakyng for dreed[e], rideth foorth ful stille.
The poore at large goth wher hym list at wille,
Strongli fraunchised from al debat and striff;
The riche alFerd alwei to lese his liff.
Thus Glad Pouert hath the palme Iwonne, —
Fortune outraied, for al hir doubilnesse.
Vpon whom Pouert in haste is ronne,
And streyned hir with so gret duresse,
Till she confessid & pleynli dede expresse
With feith & hand, in al hir gret[e] peyne,
Tabide what lawe Pouert list ordeyne.
588
Thus Glad
Poverty won
the battk asd
panuhed
Forttme so
severdjr, that
^92 she promised
And in haste afftir this disconfiture.
Fortune began to compleyne sore.
But Glad Pouert, which all thynge myhte endure,
Charged Fortune scornen hire no more.
For it was said[e] sithen go ful yore, 600
He that reioishith to scorne folk in veyn.
Whan he wer lothest shal scorned been ageyn.
*Yit,' quod Pouert, 'thouh thou were'despitous,
Woordis rehersyng which wer nat faire, 604
Straunge rebukis ful contrarious,
And repreuys many thousend paire,
Thou shalt me fynde ageynward debonaire:
For thouh a tunge be sclandrous & vengable, 608
To sclandre ageyn is nothyng comendable.
Thou must considre, touchyng our bataile
The ordynance and imposicioun,
That which off vs in conquest do preuaile 612
To brynge his felawe to subieccioun,
He shal obeie the statut off resoun,
And acomplisshe, off verai due dette,
W^hat lawe the victour list vpon hym sette. 616
For which thou shalt the said[e] lawe obeie.
With circumstaunces off the condicioun
Bi me ordeyned, and nothyng ageyn seie, —
Make no gruchchyng nor replicacioun. 620
Considred first the fals opynyoun
Off hem that seyn, al worldli auenture
Off good and badde abide vnder thi cure, —
.^ to sobmit to
39^ whatever
penalty Poverty
imposed on her.
"You must not
scorn me any
more," said
Poverty, " but
even if you
did, I would be
pleasant to yoa,
and, in con-
formity with our
agreement.
you must do
what I com-
mand with-
out grumbling.
598. all thynge] om. R.
616. vpon] on H — to sette H.
34^ Fortune overcome by Glad Poverty [bk. hi
'the°erronS°^ Sumwc poctis and phiHsophres also 624
under your Which bc dccevued, I dar seyn, bothe too;
control, I shall .,, -^ iri- i
take Unhappy And thcF crrouF and roll to redresse,
Adventure from t i i • i j • • i •
your power. 1 shal withdrawe in verai sekirnesse 628
Onhappi Auenture away fro thi power,
That she no mor shal stonde in thi dauwger.
Srnd'K'aThis lawe ofFnewe vpon the I make,
ever*bod*lan That first thou shalt, al open in sum pleyn, 632
see her and Eucl Aucnturc bynden to a stake,
know that only ^~ i i i • i
those who want Uv to sum pclct whct she mai be seyn,
her need take t" i i r 1 1 • •
her with them. 1 o shewe exauwple to lolkis in certeyn.
That no man shal loosne hire nor discharge, 636
But such as list with hire to gon at large.
'wm no"men' Heeroff to make a declaraciouw,
but the fools Touchyng thi myht off Euel Auenture,
who trust m i i r i • i • •
you." Thou shalt forgon thi dominaciouw 640
To hyndre or harme any creature.
But onli foolis, which in thi myht assure.
Thei off ther foli may feele gret damage,
Nat off thi power, but off ther owne outrage.' 644
Jretch«"who For thilke foolis, which that list onbynde
unbind Unhappy Xhis wrcchchc calHd Onhappi Auenture,
Adventure and ^-^-« . . . . , , i i i
call her a Off Witt & resouw thci make hemseluen blynde,
Lich as the world stood in Fortunys cure, 648
As thouh she myhte assure hem & onsure.
And hem dispose to welthe or wrechchidnesse, —
In ther errour hir callyng a goddesse!
to'cod'g Such wilful wrechchis that hemsilff betake 652
having given us ^q putte ther fredam in hir subiecciouw,
free choice 01
good and evil. Off God aboue the power thei forsake.
And hem submitte, ageyn[e]s al resoun,
Vnder Fortunis transmutacioun, 656
Ther liberte ful falsli for to thrall,
Namli whan thei a goddesse list hir call.
With a dirk myst off variaciouw
Fortune hath cloudid ther cleer natural liht, 660
And ouershadwed ther discrecioun.
That thei be blent in ther inward siht
For to considre and to beholde ariht,
650. dispoise R. 661. And] And hath R.
BK.,IIl]
It is wrong to worship Fortune
347
How God aboue put vnder mannys cure 664
Fre chois off good, his resoun to assure.
The Lord enlumyned off his bounteuous
largesse [p. 153]
With mynde and witt his memoriall,
Toward al vertu his steppis for to dresse,
Endued his resoun for to be naturall,
Off frowardnesse till he wex bestiall,
To bynde hymsilflF contrariousli in deede
To serue Fortune, atwixen hope and dreede. 672
Thus bestiall folk made hire a goddesse,
Falsli wenyng she myhte hem most auaile
With hir plentes off habundant richesse;
And summe demen in ther supposaile, 676
With onwar chaung she dar the grete assaile,
Whos trust[e] alwei medlid is with trouble,
And hir plesaunce includith menyng double.
And summe afFerme that she mai auaunce
Conquestis grete and disconfitures,
And how [it] lith also in hir puissaunce
To forthre & hyndre all maner creatures.
And calle hir pryncesse off fatal auentures,
The riche tenhaunce be roial apparaile,
And be disdeyn to hyndre the poraile.
Whan she maketh most fulsumli hir profres,
Hir blaundisshyng is farsid with falsheed;
Whan hir richessis be stuffid up in coffres,
Thei been ay shet vnder a lok off dreed.
Wherfore, ye riche, off o thyng takith heed.
As your gadryng cam in with plesaunce, 692
Riht so your losse departeth with myschaunce.
Your gredi thrust tresour to multeplie
Causith an etik off nounsuffisaunce,
In you engendryng a fals ydropisie, 696
With a sharp hunger off worldli habundauwce,
Makyng off you a maner resemblaunce
God gave man
Reason as a
guide for his
footsteps
towards virtue;
but he became
668 irrational out
of froward-
ness, and bound
himsdf to For-
tuna.
making her a
goddess in the
false belief that
she could he!?
him.
^Q^ Some people
^00 claim that she
can give victory
and further or
hinder ail
creatures.
684
When she
promises most,
688 "^ flattery is
stuffed with lies;
when her wealth
is piled up in
chests, they are
closed with a
lock of dread.
Therefore, you
rich, fearing loss,
your greed only
engenders a
fever for mere
wealth, and you
are very much
like Tantalus.
666. his] om. P — illumyned R.
669. is transposed with 670 and 671, and blunder indicated by
letUrs a and b R. 672. 1/ misplaced at foot oj column R.
678. is medlid H. 682. how] om. R.
684. fatal] al manirr R. 691. ye] the R.
34^ The Fate of King Hostilius [bk. hi
With Tantalus, — whan ye deppest synke,
Than is yowrnatur^ most thrustleuh for to drynke. 700
Sgton^'"'^' Who clymbeth hiest on Fortunys wheel
£°u"whlnle"^^"^ sodenli to richesse* doth ascende,
least expects it; An onwaF tum, afFom seyn neueradeel,
exempt from Whan he Iccst wenyth makith hym descende. 704
Fro such chauwgis, who may hymselfF defende,
But thei that be with Pouert nat dismaied.
And can with litil holde hemsilfF appaied."
[How kyng hostilius worshippyng fals goddis/ was
consumpt with firy Levene.]^
Bochas was A ^D whil Bochas gan muse in this mateer, 708
thinking over jTJl Considrcd first al worldli thywg mut faile,
this matter, tTT* i • i i
princes who were With wepyng eien [to hym] ther dede appear
once ismous in ^^ * 1 1 *i (* * t *i
Italy came to rryncis that whilom wer lamous in Itaile,
their falh""^ Which gan ther fall ful pitousU bcwaile: 712
For mor contrarie* was ther fallyng lowe,
That thei toforn hadde [of] no myscheeff knowe.
wder'f or a ^or mor vnkouth is thilke aduersite,
thin'^\^°oor" Namli to pryncis, whan it is sodeyne, 716
wretch who has Which euer ha lyued in prosperite,
always lived inyy y. ,
discomfort. flauyng on l^ortune no mater to compleyne.
Than off a wrechche, that lyueth ay in peyne, —
Off custom causeth, conceyued the sentence, 720
Off ioie and sorwe a ful gret difference.
br'Tncc'^f'past ^^ ^^^^ passid the newe remembrauwce,
i°y«b'" their Whan folk be falle from ther felicite,
In treble wise it doth hem gret greuauwce; 724
Thonwar turn from ther tranquillite,
Thonsur trust and mutabilite
In worldli power, which that thei ha[ue] fouwde,
Onto ther hertis yeueth a greuous wouwde. 728
has ai^y" ^^° ^^^ ^ wrcchche, which in wrechchidnesse
known want is Hath euer lyued, and neuer was partable
proof agamst r\rf ir rr iri
misfortune. OiF no weelfare nor off welfulnesse,
700. your nature is R — for] om. R.
702. richesses B, richessis J.
708. in] on H — mateer] maner R.
710. to hym] om. J, R. 713. contraire B. 714. of] om. J, R.
731. 2nd off] of no H — wealthfulnes P.
1 MS. J. leaf 63 recto.
BK. Ill]
King Hostilius becomes III
349
Nor neuer fo[u]nd[e] Fortune fauourable, —
His sorwe, his myscheefF been so custumable,
That off his peynys long contynuaunce
Doth to his greuys a maner allegaunce.
But to pryncis, which sat so hih aloffte,
A sodeyn fall is most contrarious,
And ther descendyng weel the more onsofFte,
In ther tryuwphes that thei wer glorious.
Record I take off kyng Hostilius,
Which in Rome from his roial stalle,
Whan he sat crownyd, most sodenli is falle.
It is remembrid off old and nat off newe,
Off al Rome that he was lord and sire;
The firste off kynges that wered purpil hewe,
And off that cite gouerned the empire,
Hadde off Fortune al that hym list desire.
Till that he fill, in all his regalie.
Into a froward dedli maladie.
And off his peynes to fynden allegaunce, [p.
To the temples he wente on pilgrymage.
His offryng made with deuout obeisaunce,
Wherbi sumdeel his peynes gan asswage;
And when he was restored off corage,
Felt hymsilffje] that he dede amende.
To comouw proffit ageyn he gan entende.
Vpon Thalbanys, regnyng in his glorie,*
To gret auail off Rome the cite,
Thoruh his knyhthod he hadde a gret victorie,
Afftir the which, be ful gret cruelte.
He beraffte hem fraunchise and liberte.
And made hem afftir, thoruh his hih renoun.
To been to Rome vnder subieccioun.
Afftir this conquest, the stori doth deuyse.
In his noblesse ful staatli and roial.
He gan make a riche sacrifice
To queeme and plese for a memorial,
Affter the rihtes cerymonyal.
732
„ < That princes
'3^ suflfer greatly i(
shewn by the
fall of King
Hostilius of
Rome,
740
the first king
who wore
744 P"n>le> and
'^^ who had every-
thing he desired
until he became
ill.
748
f r A He grew better
^34J after he had
made a devout
pilgrimage to
^cj the temples of
his country.
756
and wa<
victorious over
the Albaas.
760
_^ After this
' ^ victory he made
a rich sacrifice
to Jupiter,
768
746. the empire^ he thempire R.
757. Talbanys R — gloire B.
759. victoire B.
764. this] his R.
35° Hostilius is slain by Lightning {byl. hi
To lubiter, be ful gret reuerence,
Aforn his auteres with fires & encence.
t"diTfomething ^ut foF that hc in his inward entent,
TnrTlrd^the ods ^^ circumstaunccs off his oblacioun, 772
that they con- Was Fcchles fouwde and also necligent,
sumed him with ^ _ ^ r ^ rr • o '
lightning. tie sum troward tals airecciouw,
The goddis kauhte an indignacioun;
And sodenli descendyng from the heuene, 776
He was consumpt with a firi leuene, —
fupi'ttrirttn His false goddis myhte hym nat auaile,
and Venus, lubiter, Satumus nor Venus.
were unable to ' _
help him. AH Lat al Christene defie such rascaile; 780
Christians should—, r • i i • i •
defy such J;* or to our icith thei be contrarious.
And among goddis, a thyng most outraious,
Ys, whan that pryncis, blent in ther folic,
List ertheli thynges falsli deifie. 784
wo'^rshfp" For onto God is hatful and odible
earthly things, ^ withdtawyng off his reuerence,
for It IS odious r 1 mi
to God. To magnene thynges coruptible
With ondue honour, be fals concupiscence. 788
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, beth war, off hih prudence,
List God onwarli pun[y]she your noblesse,
Maak you in erthe no fals god nor goddesse.
[How Anchus kyng of Rome was moordred by
Lucynyo, bi thassent of his wiffj ^
Ancus Marcius
succeeded to
THYNKITH on Anchus, kyng off Rome touw, 792
J J Which was so noble shynywg in his glorie,
was murdered r ^ r rr o 7
with the consent Wered a crowne, tul ramous ott renouw,
of his wife, -_ ^^ ... . .
Next Hostihus, as put is m memorie.
Wan the palme off many gret victorie; 796
But for al that, with a ful sharp[e] knyff
He moordred was bassentyng off his wyfF.
whom hegreatiy j^ loucd hir bcst aboue cch creature,
lovea, blina to ^ ^ '
her falseness; Considred nat hir flatrie nor falsnesse, 800
for she coveted . . , , , i
his riches. Hir doublc menyng vnder couerture
Falsli blent this pryncis worthynesse.
To robbe and reue hym off his gret richesse
770] Afore his auctirs wjt^ fiere & ensence R.
777. firi] fiere R.
783. Ys]YeR. 785. is] it is H. 788. be] wit/b R.
1 MS. J. leaf 63 verso.
BK. IIl3
The Murder of Ancus Marcius
351
Was hir labour, with countirfet plesaunce, 804
In hir entent to brynge hym to myschauwce.
This Anchus hadde a gret afFecciouw,
Onto his goddis to make sacrifises,
And to augmente the rehgioun 808
Off paganysme, maad in sundri wises.
Thoruh his manhod and circumspect deuyses,
Vpon Latynes, rebel to his cite,
For comoun profit he made a gret arme. 812
Oon off ther cites, callid Politorie,
He knyhtli wan, maugre al ther myht;
And whan he hadde off hem ful victorie,
He abod no lenger, but anon foorth ryht 816
Made al the peeple, in eueri mannys siht.
As prisoneris, this Romayn champioun,
Be brouht afom hym bounde into the touw.
Eek, as I fynde, this Anchus nolde cese, 820
For comoun proffit in his affeccioun,
Ther teritories taugmenten and encrese
In all the cuntres abouten enviroun
Toward the ryuer wher Tibre renneth doun;
At which[e] place he leet[e] edefie
A ful strong cite, which callid is Ostie.
But natwithstandyng al his worthynesse.
He was depryued, the story tellith so,
Off his kyngdam and his gret richesse
Bi a foreyn callid Lucynyo.
His wiff Tarquild assentid was therto,
Bi whos outrage and gredi couetise 832
Anchus was moordred in ful cruel wise.
Ancus was a.
devout pagan
and defeated the
Latins
and brought
many of
them prisoner*
to Rome.
He was always
busy to increase
the territories of
Rome, and built
Ostia.
824
Nevertheless he
was murdered
828 ^f «n «li«i . .
named Luamo.
[How Lucynyo that mordred Anchus was aftir
mordred.J ^
THUS fro the wheel of Fortune he is fall; [p. 155] \lf^^^ ^^
Lucynio in Rome is crownyd kyng, ""'^n
And the Romayns afftir dede hym call 836 i^,'' f^^ud and
Tarquyn the olde, be record off writyng.
813. ther] the R — pylitorie R. 821. his] this R.
822. encrese] crese R. 824. wher] om. H.
830. Lucimyo H. 831. Tanquild R.
833. in ful cruel wise] as ye have herd devise H, R 3, H j.
1 MS. J. leaf 64 recto.
eloquence
taverns.
He was also the
first to wall
352 The Murder of Lucinio who slew Ancus {byl. hi
Which hath atteyned, be fraudulent werkyng,
And bi his subtil forged eloquence
Onto thestat off roial excellence. 840
the p^*pi^ with He first ordeyned in his estat roial
jousts and was Xumeis, iustcs iu castell[s] and cites,
the first king to ' n-i • i
instkute And Other pleies callid marcial,
With many famous gret solempnites, 844
Sessiouws for statis and degrees.
This Tarquyn eek, was first that dede his peyne
In open stretis tauernys to ordeyne.
Eek to preserue his cite out off doubte, 848
Rome and to Yiff thet cnmyes list them to assaile,
build towers lor t r i ii- i t» i
defence. He He was the fitst that waliid Rome aboute
conquered the __-.. , , . ti i* r r •^
Sabines and With myhti touts, onlikii tor to raile,
Tanaquii. And haddc also many strong bataile 853
With the Sabynes in ther rebellious,
And made hem subiect onto Rome toun.
But for he was assentid to depryue
Worthi Anchus from his estat roial, 856
And afftir that took Tarquyld [onjto wyue,
Which slouh hir lord be tresoun ful mortal,
God wolde off riht that he sholde haue a fal:
The Lord wil nat, which euery thyng may see, 860
Suffre moordre longe to be secre.
SfowTuchlranFor Lucynio, for his gret offence,
to prosper, so he Xouchvng the mootdre off the kyng Anchus,
was slam by.-l° , .. j<=>
two shepherds Islay[e]n was be sodeyn violence 864
Off too shepperdis, the stori tellitli thus.
Which off entent[e] wer contrarious
Atwen hemsilff[e] be a feyned striff,
To fynde a weie to reue hym off his liff. 868
h^ onThe^^°"' For whil the kyng sat in iugement
pretence of a Upon thct Quarel for to do iustise,
quarrel and then '^ i i • i • i rr
fell on him with )< ul sodcnli, thci beyng oit assent.
Fill vpon hym in ful cruel wise, 872
And with an ax, the story doth deuise,
Oon off hem, or any man took heed.
On too parties roff the kynges hed.
854. subiect] sogettis H.
857. tanquyld J, Tanaquii P, Tanquile H 5.
860. euery] euer^ R.
870. quarellis H.
an axe.
BK. Ill] An Envoy on Slander, Murder and Poison
353
This thyng was doon bi the procuryug 876
Off too childre, sonys to Anchus,
Which were exilid be fals compass^Tig
Off Lucinio, ageyn hem most irous, —
To hym ther presence was so odious. 880
But thei hem shoop, thouh thei were out off siht,
Ther fadres deth tauengen yiff thei myht.
For off nature blood will vengid be,
To recompense the wrong off his kjTireede,
In this chapitle, lik as ye may see,
Blood shad for blood: thus bothe dede bleede.
Be which exaumple, lat prj'ncis taken heede.
How moordre doon for supplantacioun*
Requereth vengau?:ce for his fynal guerdouw.
This was done
by the in-
stigation of
Ancus'
chndreQ,
whom Locinio
had exiled.
Blood win be
avenged, as yxja
go J may see in this
* chapter. Let
princes remem-
ber this.
8S8
[Lenvoye.]
THIS tragedie be cleer inspeccioun
Openli declareth in substaunce,
How slauhtre of princis causith subuersioun
Off rewmys, cites put out off ordynaunce,
Off mortal werre long contynuaunce.
Blood be supplantyng* shad off k^nges tweyne,
Bexaumple heer shewed, fals moordre to restreyne, 896
The fyn declaryng off moordre & fals tresoun:
The deede horrible crieth ay vengau?2ce
To God aboue to caste his eien dou?:,
To punshe this synne thoruh his m^hti puissaunce; 900
For it is mooder off myscheeff & myschaunce.
Wlierfor, ye Pr}''ncis, doth sum lawe ordeyne,
WithjTine your boundis thre vices to restreyne:
The vice off sclaundre, moordre and poisouti.
Wher-euer these thre hauen aqueyntaunce,
Thei brynge in sorwe and desolacioun,
Put at a preeff be newe remembraunce
Off falsheed vsed vnder fair cuntenaunce.
Wherfor, ye Prjiicis, doth your besi peyne,
\\ ithjTine your boundis these vices to restreyne.
This tragedy
plainly declares
that the
slaughter of
8q2 prince* causes
war and sub-
version and cries
aJway*
vengeance.
Wherefore,
V"4 Princes, see that
the evils of
dander, murder
and poison, and
the sorrow and
desolation they
bring are re-
908 strained in your
realms.
888. subplantacioun B.
895. subplantyng B.
900. thoruh] by H.
354 Concerning Tarquin and Lucrece [|bk. hi
EngkntfL God diffende this noble regioun
siander.that With thcsc thrc viccs to hauc* alUauMce: 012
slays good fame, i i r i i i -i
and from murder i< or sclaundrc htst deuoureth hih renoun,
punishment is And slcth good fame thoruh fals dalUaunce.
them'^"^ °^ Harm doon, to late folweth repentauwce,
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, doth a lawe ordeyne 916
To punshe ther malice, fals tunges to restreyne.
God hath ofFmoordre abhominaciouw, [p. 156]
And fals poisouw doth to hym displesauwce;
Ther is no peyen* in comparisouw 920
Condigne to moordre, pelsed in ballauwce.
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, makith an ordynauwce,
Withynne your bouwdis off sum dedli peyne
Bi du[e] punshyng fals moordre to restreyne. 924
dliTbe'the ^ noble Pryncis, prouydeth off resoun
final reward of Ageyn thcse vices to make purueiaunce,
these vices. ^ -'. " .
Uit rigour sheweth due execucioun
With al your labour & your hertli instauwce. 928
Lat deth be guerdouw for ther fynal penauwce.
To warne all othre, be constreynt off ther peyne,
Fro these thre vices ther corages to restreyne.
[|How for the offence don to Lucrece by Tarquyn
was never aftir crowned kyng in Rome.] ^
rndTiL"flmiS''^T"^UCHIA^G this Tarquyw, of whom I now[e] 932
long dominated JL toldc,
Rome, until the i i •
time of the Rape As myu auctout maketh mencioun.
Then tiTe^ame Hc calHd was Tarquinius the olde,
of king came to ^j^j^j^ j^^^^^ j^ j^^^^^ j^^jj^ domiuacioUM,
Till his kynreede and generaciouw, 936
For thoffence doon onto Lucrece,
Caused off kynges the name [for] to cese.
Sn was'^caUed ^^^ ^^^ sone, which afftir gan succeede,
Tarquin the Yox his outtages and his extorsiouws, 940
Proud for his evil ° i i i
life- And for many a-nother cruel deede,
911. this] the R. 912. thre vices] regions R — haue]
hauen B.
()i'r,-iz, are replaced by ()0\-6^. 917. ther] the R.
920. peyne B. 924. punishyng P.
932. I nowe] riht now I H.
933. There is a contraction sign for ur over the u in auctour B.
934. Tarquinus R. 936. Till] Al H. 937. onto] to H.
938. for] om. R, J, P — names P. 939. sone] sony R.
1 MS. J. leaf 64 verso.
BK. IIl3
Tarquin and Lucrece
355
For his haatful vsurpaciouns,
His froward lifF and fals condiciou7is,
Among the peeple, bothe stille and loude, 944
He callid was Tarquinius the proude.
Ful obstynat he was in his entent,
Ambicious tacroche gret richesse,
Till that Fortune wex inpacient
Ageyn[e]s hym, in al his gret noblesse.
Gan hir snares and hir crokes dresse,
Thouhte she wolde, but he kept hym weel,
Al sodenli cast hym from hir wheel. 952
A sone he hadde, ful vicious, as I fynde,
To all vertu most contrarious —
To be froward it cam to hym off kynde —
And off nature proud and despitous, 956
Ageyn the peeple fell and malicious,
Nat louyd but drad; for tirannye off riht
Is thyng most hatid in the peeplis siht.
This proude Tarquyn, the story is weel kouth, 960
Ageyn Lucrece dede a gret outrage,
Oppressid hir beute in his onbridled youth,
Hir trouthe assailyug in a furious rage.
For which his fader, he, and his lynage 964
Exilid wern, and for this hatful thyng
Ther was neuer afFtir in Rome crownyd kyng.
Hir bodi corupt, she cleene off herte & thouht.
Be force assailed was hir innocence, 968
Oppressid hir beute, but hir sperit nouht,
Hir chaast[e] will dede non offence;
But entred is into hir conscience
A gret remors, for al hir wifli trouthe, 972
To slen hirsilff, which was to gret a routhe.
And for that Bochas remembreth pitousli
Hir dedli sorwe and lamentacioun.
Writ hir compleynt in ordre ceriousli, 976
Which that she made for hir oppressiouw,
I folwe muste and make mencioun,
AfFtir myn auctour parcel rehersyng,
Touchyng hir woordis said in hir deieng. 980
Obstinate and
avaricious, he
reigned until
Fortune cast
r\A9, hxva down from
^^ her wheel.
It was his
vicious son,
hated and feared
by the people.
who outraged
Lucrece; and for
that deed he and
his father and
all their kin
were exiled.
Although
Lucrece's chaste
will did no
offence, she slew
herself for re-
morse;
and as Bochas
wrote her dying
complaint, so
must I,
945. Terquinius R.
948. Impacient R, H.
980. 1st hir] t)e H.
959. peeple R. 963. Hir] His R.
356 The Complaint of Lucrece [^bk. hi
aireaiy'tof/'^ Al-be-lt SO, be biddyng ofF my lord,
o^Tt"*^'"^ Rehersed haue in my translacioun
bidding of my AfFtir PieHus heer and ther a woord
OfF a ful doolful declamacioun 984
Be hym remembred ofF entenclouw,
For hir sake men myhte seen and rede
What wifli trouthe was in hir womanheede.
johnToSar And lohn Bochas Hst nat sette a-side, 988
eloquence, but I gy^ ^j^^t he wolde rehcrsen in sentence
will give you the
lubstance of his Hir woful compleynt, & therupon abide,
writing. ^„ • J ^ U- •
(Jft wrongis doon onto hir innocence.
And thouh I canwat folwe his eloquence, 992
I shal sue the trouthe ofF rehersyng
As in substauwce thefFect ofF his writyng.
IterTeloui ^ The motwe next afFtir this foule deede,
deed, Lucrece Luctece vproos with a ful dedli cheer. 996
arose, and with a rr- i • r i i i
deadly pale face Qut ofF hit lace gon was al the rede,
in funereal black And dirked wem hir heuenli eien cleer,
Al clad in blak[e] afFtir the maneer
OfF thilke folk which in especiall 1000
Ar wont to gon to feestis funerall.
his father All hir freendis beyng in presence, [p. 157]
and assembled Husboude, fader, with other eek also, "
friends, i i • i •
Bi and bi rehersyng in sentence 1004
The circutnstauwces ofF hir hertli wo.
And or that I any ferther go,
Vnder hope my lord will me supporte,
What that she saide I will to you reporte. 1008
[The greuous compleynt of Lucrece vpon hir oppres-
sioun.] ^
il^Lul°rece,'''am " T^OR-ASMOCHE," quod she, "as I Lucrcce
joined to you in J/ Am be the lawe ioyned in mariage
marriage as your _, , 111111
humble subject, 1 o the, my iotd, whos loue shal ay encrece
Towardis the, with al the surplusage 1012
OfF wifli trouthe tenduren al myn age,
As humble subiect with feithful obeisaunce
Vnder thi lordshipe and thi gouernauwce,
983. Piernis R, Pieryns H, Pierins J, pyernus R 3, pyrrus H J,
Pierius P. 986. hir] liis H.
991. onto] to R. 996. dedli] dooleful H. 997. hir] his R.
999. Al] And R. 1000. folk] om. R. 1006. any] may R.
* MS. J. leaf 64 verso.
BK.
Ill]
The Complaint of Lucre ce
357
0 Colatyn, my lord and trewe husbonde, 1016
Best beloued oflF hool afFeccioun,
1 will no mor no quarell take on honde
Nor in no wise make non accioun,
Withoute that thou Hst enclyne doun 1020
Goodii thyn eris to yiue me audience
To that I shall reherse in thi presence.
Iniurie doon or any maner wrong
Ageyn my worshepe or myn honeste,
Bi the lawe my sentence is maad strong,
It touchet[h] you also weel as me,
I am so hooli yolden onto the, —
Thou art myn hed, who cleerli can discerne,
Lord and husbonde my bodi to gouerne.
Parcial causes in sooth ther may non be
Atwen vs tweyne nor no disseueraunce:
For soote and bittir, ioie and aduersite,
We must hem weie bothe in o balaunce,
Countirpeise our sorwes [&] our plesaunce,
Entirmedle all thynge that is in doubte,
Receyue our fortune as it komth aboute.
Ther may atwen vs be no menyng double.
But oon herte, o will and o corage.
And as [a] woman that stondeth now in trouble,
Withoute polishyng off any fair language,
I mut disclose to you the gret outrage
Doon onto me, and pleynli it discure.
Which to redresse lith hooli in your cure.
For the mater, to speke in woordes pleyne,
A-riht out serchid and the trouthe out founde,
As a iust cause, ondifFerent to tweyne
Toward vs bothe the quarell doth rebounde.
And mor strongli our mater for to grounde, 1048
Reherse I will, so that ye sauff it vouche,
A mortall wrong which the & me doth touche.
O best bdoved
Collatine, I will
take no action
until you have
heard my story.
" Injury done to
my honerty
1024 touches yxiu as
^ well at me.
1028
There may be
no sundering of
our joy and
adversity: we
\OX2 must weigh
them both in one
balance;
1036
and as no deceit
can be between
us, I must
frankly disclose
to you my
outrage, which
1040 it lies in your
power to
redress.
"It is a mc«tal
^"44 wrong, which
you must dearly
understand.
1018. no3 none R.
1022. reherse in thi presence^ reh^^en in sentence H.
1024. or] & R. 1027. hooli] om. R.
1034. &] om. J, H s, R 3.
1037. menyng] mevyng R.
1038. o will o hert H — 2nd o] one R.
1045. A-riht] at riht H.
358 The Complaint of Lucrece []bk. hi
MstufcaUedCoi-I" a castcll which callid is Collace,
iace,wh^n Off which mv lord hccF hath the gouemauwce, 1052
young Tarquin -^ • i i
appeared 1 arquvn the vonge cam into that place.
without T r 11 J- 1 •
warning. 1, tull diswarrc to make purueiauwce
Ageyn his comyng or any ordenauwce,
Toforn nat warnyd off his officeris, 1056
Sat onpurueied among my chaumbereris.
'i'dT°nes7'/and ^ cntcnt teschewcn idilnesse,
my women sat Wg sat and Span vpon wolles soffte;
spinning soft ^ t . ^ . ~.
wools. Y or she orr vices is a cheeit maistresse 1060
Wher she is cherisshid & iset aloffte:
But off custum as I haue do ful offte,
I and my women duli as we ouhte,
Tauoide slouthe ful bisili we wrouhte. 1064
vSyr?speafuiiyHis ent[e]ryng was meek and debonaire,
"iVwo^rd^f th?t^ Benygne off port, off look & off visage,
were contrary With a ptetencc off many woordes faire,
to his heart. -,1 r 1 »»»
In whos menyng was tul gret outrage, 1068
His cheer contrarie* onto his corage.
In this wise ther he was receuyed,
Wherbi, alas, I falsli was deceyued!
ciurtSi^siy. al^'At pryme face, as me thouhte it due, 1073
became a man \ hym teceyued at his in comyng :
of his position: -' ii- i i
yet all the while Roos up meckli and gan hym to same,
he intended to. I'li i
betray me. As appcttencd in aile maner thyng
Onto the sone off a worthi kyng. 1076
And treuli Tarquyn, for which I seie alas,
Me to be-traisshe stood in the same caas.
kingXouid'be A kynges sone sholde off du[e]te ^ _
a protector of Bccn to wommcu Wall and protecciouw, 1080
women and play , . ' ,
the part of a Prcserue and keepe hem in ai surete,
°'^ '' That no man sholde, off no presumpciouw,
Doon hem no wrong nor oppressiouw,
1058. teschewen] to shew B. 1064. we] om. R.
1067. many] may R. 1069. contraire B. 1074. to] om. R.
^ l^he jollowing five lines, to which are appended the two last of
the preceding stanza, are inserted before line 1079 as a complete
stanza in the Phillipps-Garrett MS., section 10, leaf 6 a:
I trusted well his riall noblesse
Be any sing J)at y kouj) a spie
He no })ing mtnt but troul> & gentilnesse
But oft falleth as clerkes specefie
Vndre fair speche men may treson wrye.
BK. Ill]]
The Complaint of Lucrece
359
Rather deie than seen hem sufFre onriht,
Aduertisynge thoflSce off a knyht.
But in contraire off knyhthod he hath wrouht, [p.
Be fals outrage doon ageyn[e]s me.
Wrong[e] weies and crokid menys souht
Off lawes tweyne to breke the liberte,
And difface the auctorite
Off lawe ciuyle & natural also,
In my persone offendyng bothe too.
First be his fals[e] subtil compassyng
He gan espie thestris off the place;
And whan a-bedde alone I lay slepyng,
Lik a leoun, ful sterne off look and face,
With his lefft hand my throte he dede enbrace,
And in his other heeld ageyn al lawe
Me for toppresse a naked suerd idrawe.
Thus afforcyng my wifli chastite,
Ageyn knyhthod he dede this gret offence,
Mi liff, my worshepe put in perplexite,
Hauyng no myht to make resistence, —
Me manacyng be dedli violence,
The ton off tweyne: to deie in his entente,
Or to auoutri* falsli to consente.
Thus I stood sool atwen deth & diffame, S"eti?d^
Mi bodi corupt, my sperit aboodfe] cleene; 1108 "d dishonour,
-KK' •! 1 1 o ir 1 my body cor-
Mi spousaiie broke, & my good[eJ name mpted, my spirit
For euer disclaundred, that whilom shon ful sheene. g^' nam^''
Euel fame off custum will alwei wexe greene, evK^°* °'
Neuer deie, the peeple so hem disporte ma
The werste off thynges gladli to reporte.
Alas, alas ! among my sorwes all, tem*We^f m°"
This oon the moste that doth myn herte agrise; — sorrows i$ that i
T I • 1 11111 *™ °° longer
1 am nat worthi that men me sholde call, 1116 worthy to be
01 ^1 • . called your wife!
r haue the name m no maner wise,
For thoffence which ye han herd deuise,
To be callid, in this wrecchid liff.
Off Collatyn from hen[ne]sfoorth the wiff. 1120
1084
J ..Q] "But Tarquin
'^ 3 "J only sought
meana to break
both civil and
1088 natural law in
my p«noa.
I0Q2
"First he spied
out the inner
rooms, and then,
when I lay
asleep in bed,
he came on me
1096 like a lion.
■r,^^ and, seizing me
^^°° by the throat,
threatened my
life with a naked
sword if I would
not consent to
commit
adultery.
1 104
11C56. tauoutri B.
1 108. my] in H.
1112. hem so H.
1113. thynges] al H.
1 1 15. the] om. R.
36o
The Complaint and Death of Lucrece
Hbk. Ill
bi^ded'^with'* Myn eien also be blyndid with derknesse,
shame: never Qnll for shamC tO lefftCIl VD thcF siht,
may 1 be ^ '
reckoned as an Outhcr thcr strcmys OF bcmys vp to dresse,
Off the cleer heuene to looke vpon the liht.
Nor I mai neuer been off the nouwbre off riht,
Off trewe matrones, among hem ferr nor neer,
For to be rekned in ther kalendeer.
bi'so piTnUheZ Lat myn Iniurie and this mortal cryme
that it may gg ^q punMshed off riht and equite,
become a lastmg f i-j i -i ^
example to Withoute delay off any lenger tyme,
That euer afftir it may exauwple be
Thoruh al the world and eek in this cite, —
With such a peyne therupon deuised,
That all auoutours may be therbi chastised.
to'^^iu'lhatTtoo And yiff it seeme in your opynyouw,
am culpable, I jjj ^\^{g ^aas I sholde been onpure,
will patiently t • i • •
accept my { will receyue lust punyciouw
punishment. ait • i* i
And the peyne pacientii endure,
Yiff it so stonde that parauenture
Ye deeme off resouw, that be so iust & stable.
In this mateer that I be coupable."
Hir tale told. Whan thei longe hadde musid
On this compleynt in ther inward siht.
Off trouthe echon thei heeld hir ful excusid,
Made all beheste, with al ther ful[le] myht
Tauenge hir wrong; and Lucrece anon riht
Took a sharp knyff, or thei myhte aduerte,
And rooff hirsilff euene thoruh the herte.
After she had
told her story
and they had
absolved her of
all blame and
promised to
avenge her
wrong, she took
a sharp knife and
pierced herself
to the heart.
1 124
I128
1132
1 136
1 140
1 144
1 148
Bochas in hot
indignation
wrote a com-
plaint against
those princes,
f The Compleynt of Bochas Oppon ^e luxurie of
Princis by examplis of diuers myschevis.^
BOCHAS in herte brennyng hoot as fir
Off verai ire and indignacioun
Ageyn tho princis, which in ther desir
Han fulli set ther delectaciouw, 1152
Ther felicite and ther affeccioun
To folwe ther lustis off fals lecherie,
Froward spousbreche and off auoutrie.
I125. neuer] OOT. R. 1126. nor] or R.
1 140. be] it be H. 1141. coulpable R.
1 148. thoruh] to H. 1 149- hoot] as hoote H.
^ The same heading in J and R. by] as by J — many dyuers J —
myschevis] myschaunces R, J.
BK. Ill] Bocbas on the Immorality of Princes
361
He writ ageyn hem that seeke occasiouns,
Places off lust to han ther libertees
For to fulfiUe ther delectaciouns;
And for tacomplisshe ther gret dishonestees,
Deuyse out tauemes in burwes & citees,
And sittyng ther among ther cumpanye,
Afftir the deede thei booste off ther folye.
Yiff any man pynche at ther outrage, [p.
Or them rebuke for ther tran[s]gressiouns,
Thei will ansuere with froward fals language,
And for ther parti allegge gret resouns :
First how it longeth to ther condiciouns
Be riht off Nature, as it is weel kouth, 1168
Freli to vse lecheri in youth;
AfFerme also, how lawe of Kynde is fre.
And so afForce hem to sustene ther partie
Bexaumple off Dauid, which that took Bersabe, 1172
And for hir sake how he slouh Vrie,
Dede manslauhtre and fals auoutrie, —
For hem aleggyng, ageyn riht and resoun.
For Dalida the luxure off Sampsoun. 1176
The stori also thei frowardli applie.
How for a woman prudent Salamouw,
The Lord offendyng, dede ydolatrie.
And in diffence off ther opynyoun,
Reherse these storyes for excusacioun
Off ther errour, therbi a pris to wynne.
As tofor God lecheri wer no synne.
Thei nat considre in ther entencioun
Off these stories eueri circumstaunce:
First off kyng Dauid the gret contricioun,
Nor vpon Sampson how God took gret vengaunce;
First how he loste his force & his puissaunce 1188
For his offence — thei ha[ue] nat this in mynde,
Nor how that bothe his eien wer maad blynde.
Nor ther resouns thei list nat to enclyne
For to conceyue in ther discrecioun,
The sperit off wisdam, heuenli & dyuyne,
Was take away fro prudent Salamoun
In chastisyng for his transgressioun.
1 157. lust] lustes R.
1 171. so afForce] tafForce H.
T T -A ^^o, following
^^0" their evil
desires, commit
adultery, and
afterwards
publicly boast
of their folly.
1160
T 'ol ^^ "'^ ram
*3VJ rebuke them,
1 164 they fill.t.e"
him that it is
a law of
nature to do
such things in
one's youth.
and allege
David and
Bathsheba and
Samson and
Delilah in their
defence.
and tell also how
Solomon be-
came an idolater
for the love of a
woman; — as if
harlotry were no
1 180 sin before God!
--0. They never con -
^^°4 ,ider David's
remorse or
God's ven-
teance on
amson.
or how Solo-
mon was
1 IQ2 deprived of his
spirit of wisdom
for his offence,
and, as some
doctors afSrm,
sorely repented
afterwards.
362 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes [[bk. hi
And summe doctours afFermen ouermore, 1196
How Salamon repentid hym ful sore.
fhe°Hcentiout" The play ofF youthc folk calle it lecherie,
Srtur°a\''to"lu'' ^^y" ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ gamen off Nature,
healthy animals; And to sustene and Bern vp ther partie, laoo
they think only tt • • i i i rr •
ofvicious How It Sit weel, be record oit scripture,
pleasures and lie /^ • i ittt
and boast and Unto cuerich iiiiii creature
horribie*^oaths, That stant in helthe and is coraious,
^^Ix^^llth C)fF verrai kynde for to be lecherous. 1204
courtesy.
Vicious report thei han in remembrauwce,
But vertuous thyng is ferr out off mynde;
Flesshli lustis and lecherous plesaunce
In ther desirs be nat lefft behynde. iao8
Auauwtyng, lieng thei can off newe out fynde;
And now-adaies thei holde curtesie
Othes horrible, flatryng and ribaudie.
Snk ofnobie I" ^hcr auys thei taken litil heede 121a
Scipio and of his Qnto the doctryn off noble Scipiouw,
advice to -^ , , *
Masinissa either Which comauwdid, in story as I reede,
Sophonisba alone To Masmissa, ful famous off renoun,
ore se marry "• jy^^^ ^^ touche be no condicioun iai6
Sophonisba, fairest off visage,
But yiff it were be weie off mariage.
roya°bl5od! Thouh she wer born off the blood roiall,
she was virtuous f^j^ youthe was set to al honeste, ' 1220
and wedded to -p,. f i i • i i tt i ii
King Syphax, Douhter and hair to noble Hastruball,
who reigned in .p^ rr r> i
Numidia. Duc OIT Cartage, the story ye may see;
And for hir vertues off femynyte,
She weddid was, off berthe as she was lik, 1224
To kyng Siphax, which regned in Affrik.
iiberty°of vitue ^ud for to pteue the grete liberte
'^•^ij^' r • Which is in vertu conveied be resoun,
thraldom of vice, .,,^, ,,, rri-i
Cato shewed And the fals thraldam off dishoneste, — 1228
that the former ,-^pf, , , , .
is never subject UiT bothe to make a pieyn compansouw,
Afftir the doctryn off Censoryn Catoun,
Shewid be hym to folkis in comune,
That vertu neuer is subiect to Fortune: 123a
1 196. evir more H. 1199. a game H.
1210. holde it curtasye H. 1215. Mascinissa' P.
1223. vertues]] vertuous R.
1224. was weddyd R.
BK. Ill3 Bocbas on the Immorality of Princes
363
Vertu conserueth mesour and resoun,
Considreth thynges aforn or thei befall,
Takith non enprises but off discrecioun,
And on prudence foundeth hir werkes all; 1236
Ay to hir counsail attempraunce she doth call,
Warli prouydyng in hirsilfF withynne
The eende off thynges toforn or she begynne.
This was the doctryn tauht foorth off Catouw,
Lecherous lustis to put hem vndir foote,
Grauntyng to vertu the domynacioun,
Plukke up vices, braunche, cropp & roote.
Frut off goodnesse groweth up so soote,
Whan it is plauntid off youthe in a corage.
It neuer appalleth in helthe off his tarage.
Catoun with vertu was a cheeff officer, [p.
Preferryng euer comouw comwodites
Tofor profites that wer synguler;
Tenhauwce the comoun in kyngdames & citees,
Ther wittis peised and ther habilitees,
Personys promotyng, in whom it was supposid, 1252
That thei in vertu wer natureli disposid.
Manli off herte he was ay to susteene
Indifferentli trouthe and al iustise;
Flesshli delites off folk that wer oncleene 1256
He was ay redi be rigour to chastise,
And sette lawes in ful prudent wise
For to punshe flaterers and lechours
And such as wern openli auoutours. 1260
He hadde off womwen non opynyoun
With hem to dele for lust nor for beute.
But yiff it were for procreacioun, —
So stable he was founde in his degre, 1264
The book reedyng off inmortalite
Which Plato made, the trouthe weel out souht,
Therin concludyng, how soulis deie nouht.
But lyueth euer outher in ioie or peyne. 1268
Thus wrot Plato in his orygynall:
Men may the body be deth ful weel constreyne,
1235. Emprises H. 1237. she] he R.
1239. toforn or she] or they R. 1245. a] om. R.
1246. in helthe off] of helth in H, in hegh of R 3, in heyth of P.
1265. Immortalite H. 1268. lyueth] lyven H.
1269. Thus] this H.
Virtue has fore-
sight and under-
takes nothing
without
discretion,
which was
1240 Cajo'j doctrine.
1244
T^l Cato always
*"^J preferred the
^ people to in-
dividual advan*
tage,
and supported
justice and
truth, and was
ever ready
to punish
unclean folk.
He had no desire
to have ado with
women except
for procreation.
and read Plato's
book on the
immortality of
the soul.
364 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes [[bk. Ill
But the soule abit ay inmortall.
For which this Catouw, stedfast as a wall, 1272
For comouw profit to deie was nat afferd,
Whan he hymsilfF slouh with a naked suerd.
SratdTo'dfe^for ^"^ ^^ Fottunc afom his deth he saide,
the common "Q thou prynccssc ofF worldH goodes veyne, 1276
weal, saying to r -^ . i i i • i
1 o thi natereris 1 neuer dede abraide,
Thi fauour is so fals and oncerteyne
That neuer I fauht no fraunchise to atteyne
As for my-silfF, nor parcial syngulerte, 1280
But al for profit touchyng the comounte.
never yUidid to A-geyn Ccsat I made resistence,
thy flattery nor f o conquete fredam to me & to the tou«,
sought gam for ^ ^ i • i
myself. I resisted i< reli tcschewe his mottal violence, 1284
Caesar for free- r^, . i i i •
dom's sake and 1 his wotid despisyng m myn opynyouw, —
d°e7^ing' the Our frauwchise thrallid vnder subieccioun,
world." lustli forsakyng the variauwce off this lifF,
Mi soule conveied to be contemplatifF." 1288
?hfs°'!udent"id This philisophre, this prudent old Catoun,
Cato wrote Tcndryng in herte comouw comoditees,
beseechmg im- ^^ ~ "^ , T , , ^p
moral princes to 1 oiom his deth wrot oit compassiouM
follow the rr-' 1 1 • • 1 T •
example of io them that sat m roiai dignitees, 1293
Drusu.. ^^\^\c\y hadde ofF vertu lost the libertees,
Pryncis besechyng, that wer luxurious.
To take exauwple and folwe kyng Drusus.
who loved virtue ^ ^j^g whichfcl Drusus, be successiouw 1296
and was always . . i
faithful to his Heir to Augustus, was next hym emp^rour,
Sett al in vertu his aflFecciouw,
And it to cherishe dede hooli his labour.
To lust onleefFul he neuer gafF fauour; 1300
And touchyng loue, duryng all his lifF,
He neuer hadde lust but onli to his wifF.
?8ked w^ith And in his paleis, myd off his roiall see,
incredulous Qff noble pryncis duellyng in Rome toun 1304
impertmence ^ r ii'j'*
what sort of He axed was, for al his dignite,
attraction could ..,,.
his wife have What manct corage or temptaciouw,
Or what feruence or delectacioun
1271. Immortall H, R.
1277. flatrers H. 1279. fauht] auht H. 1280. nor] no R.
1286. Our] or H. 1287. this] his H. 1293. the] ther H.
1302. to] til H.
for him,
i3o8
1312
1316
BK. Ill] Bocbas on the Immorality of Princes
Withynne hymsilfF he hadde off louys play,
Sool bi his wifF whan he a-bedde lay.
And lik a prynce fulfiUid off hih noblesse,
Ansuerde ageyn with sobre cuntenaunce,
" Touchyng such lust as folweth flesshlynesse,
Lik as Nature me put in gouemaunce.
In oon alone is set al my plesaunce:
For with non other for no concupiscence,
Sauff with my wiff I neuer dede offence."
Pryncis echon folwe nat the traas
Off noble Drusus, as ye shal vndirstonde;
For summe ha[ue] stonde* al in a-nother caas, -
Such as can holde too or thre on honde.
Now heer, now ther, as botis home to londe,
Nat considryng ther cres nor disauail,
Whan newfangilnesse bloweth in ther sail.
^ Eek Bochas writith, sum princis ha[ue] be
founde,
Which viciousli ha[ue] do ther besy peyne,
Vertuous wommen be flatrie to confounde,
And tendre maidnes to bryngen in a treyne.
Such manacis & tormentis to ordeyne,
Them to transfourme from ther perseueraunce
And interrupte ther virgynal constauwce.
But off such folk that yeue no fors off shame, [p.
Nor dreede God such treynes to deuise,
Husbondmen in soth ar most to blame
With foreyn women to trespase in such wise:
I trowe ther wyues may hem inouh suffise;
For many ar feeble ther dettis for to quyte,
Thouh thei in chaung themsilff falsli delite.
Summe afferme, for themsilff alleggyng,
To such outrage that thei ha[ue] licence
Freeli off Nature to vse ther owne thyng.
And in such caas to no wiht doon offence.
But froward is ther errour in sentence,
Fro bond off wedlok, whan thei be so onstable,
And tofor God most hatful and dampnable.
365
he answered
simply, that he
had never
known another.
All prince*
have not
followed in
Drusus' foot-
steps.
1320
Some even go so
far a* to seduce
J, 2^ virtuous women
>* •* by flattery and
young girls with
brutal threats
and torments.
1328
161]
1332
Of all such
shameless
people married
men are the
worst: I'm
sure their wives
are quite
sufficient for
most of them,
f- although they
^ii^ delight in
change,
and say that
Nature gives
them permission
to do as they
1340 please with their
own bodies.
But they are
very hateful to
God.
1344
13 1 1. Ageyn answerd R. 13 17. traas] trac is H.
13 19. stonden B. 1323. blowen H.
1333. ar] be R, er H. 1337. falsely hem silff H.
1338. ther silff H. 1343. Fro] For H.
366 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes []bk. hi
Su°s"hf!'the For she that Is thoruh hir hih noblesse
that°lra^nimTh Namyd ofF clcrkis, which cleerli can concerne,
She has given DouhtcF ofF God, ladi and prvncesse,
him the knowl- ^ ,,. , * •'
edge of right and Kesoun callid, to guyc man and gouerne, 1348
wrong and the r-r , , , . , . ■ .
power to resist i wccn gooQ and cucl lustii to disccme, —
vice.
She hath departid, pleynli to conclude,
The lifF off man fro liff off beestis rude.
?haVonTshe This ladi Resouw, sithen go ful yore, 1353
he beconfeT7' ^^^ °"^^ "^^" "^^^^ ^"^ disCrecioUM,
beast rather Tauhte hym also bi hir souereyn lore
Twen vice and vertu a gret dyuysioun,
And that he sholde in his eleccioun 1356
Onto al vertu naturali obeie,
And in contraire al vicious lifF werrele, —
than^a human p^^^ ^^ enprente in his memorial,
How ofF luxure the gret dishoneste 1360
DifForme a man & make hym bestial,
And disfigure, ofF what estaat he be:
For whan that resouw, in hih or low degre,
Is fled away, folk may afFerme than, 1364
He is lik a beeste rather than a man.
Sn«s°'an!end Whetfor lat ptyncis that ha[ue] be defectifF
^nn'u'T r'^ To folwe ther lustis off sensualite,
punish all those '
who would Shape hem be resoun for tamende ther lifF 1368
destroy the / i i •
honest fame of And to consetue and keepe ther chastite,
Bothe ofF virgines* and wiffli honeste.
And to pun[y]she all tho that list laboure
The honest fame off wommen to deuoure. 1372
women.
give
name
lost?
^°^ back?good For whan a lechour be force or be maistrie
once it is Defoulid hath off virgynes the clennesse,
Widwes oppressid, and be auoutrie
Assailed wyues that stood in stabilnesse, 1376
Who mai thanne ther sclaundrous harm redresse,
Whan ther good name is hurt be such report? —
For fame lost onys can neuer haue his resort.
1348. man] folk R.
1360. luxurie R.
1362. he] the! H.
1368. for] for to R.
1370. virgines] wyuys B.
1388
BK. Ill] Bochas on the Immorality of Princes
A theefF may robbe a man off his richesse
And be sum mene make restituciouw;
And sum man may disherite & oppresse
A poore man from his possessiouw,
And afftir[ward] make satisfaccioun;
But no man may restore in no degre
A maide robbid off hir virgynyte.
A man mai also bete a castell doun,
And beelde it afFtir mor fresshli to the siht.
Exile a man out off a regioun
And hym reuoke, wher it be wrong or riht;
But no man hath the poweer nor the myht
For to restore the paleis virgynal
Off chastite, whan broken is the wal.
Men mai also put out off seruise,
And officeres remeue from ther place,
And at a day, whan Fortune list deuise,
Thei mai ageyn restored been to grace;
But ther is nouther tyme set nor space,
Nor neuer in story nouther rad nor seyn,
That maidenhed lost recurid was ageyn.
For which men sholde haue a conscience,
Rewe in ther herte and repente sore,
And ha[ue] remors off ther gret offence,
To rauysshe thyng which thei may nat restore.
For it is said and hath be said ful yore.
The emeraud greene off parfit chastite,
Stole onys away may nat recurid be.
And hard it is to rauysshe a tresour
Which off nature is nat recuperable;
Lordshipe may nat, off kyng nor emp<rrour,
Refourme a thyng which is nat reformable:
Rust off diffame is inseparable,
And maidenheed[e] lost off newe or yore,
No man alyue mai it ageyn restore.
367
o_ Thieve* and
3°*-' oppressors of
the poor can
make
restitution; but
no man can
restore to a
maid her
1384 lost chastity.
A cattle can be
pulled down and
afterwards re-
built; an exile
maybe recalled;
1392
officials and
menials can be
discharged and
again taken into
1396 ?ervice; but
it has never
been told that
maidenhood
once lost was
ever again
recovered.
J .QQ For this reason
^ men should have
conscience and
not take what
they cannot
return.
1404
_ . _Q Even the lord-
1400 ship of kings
cannot repair
that which
is irrevocably
ruined.
I413
1381. sum mene] fom^ men H.
1384. afFtirward] afFtir J, P, H 5 — aflFtirward make] aftir
make dew R 3.
1389. 2nd a] his H. 1390. wher] whedir R.
1398. tyme nouthir H. 1404. thei may] maist H.
1413. maydenhoode H.
1414. on lyve H.
368 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes [^bk. hi
The old Roman. Romevns oldc thoruh ther pacience fp. 162I
patiently put up _ „ "i . ... . ^ '•*^ ■•
with tyrant, and iiuitrede tiraiitis in ther tirannyes, 1416
robbers, but they a i • i • i • i
were careful to And in thcF citc to do gFct violencc,
terers, * " The peeplc toppresse with ther robberies;
But to pun[y]she thei sette streiht espies
On fals auoutours, at it is weel kouth, 14S0
Widwes to rauysshe & maidnes in ther youth.
as is shewn by Vpon this mateet the stori berth witnesse,
the exile of King ,_,*^ , i m rr i t-
Tarquin and the 1 ouchyng thexil oiT kyng 1 atquynyus,
daudiut. ''''"" AfForn rehersed be writyng ful expresse 1424
The hatful deth off Appius Claudius
For his trespas doon to Virgynyus,
The iugementis rehersed and the peyne;
And fro ther office depryued bothe tweyne. 1428
Was not the city Was nat the cite whilom desolat
itcs laid Off Synachites for the* ribaudie
desolate for i~\cr o i 1 • 1 11
the crime of Utt ooH bychcm, which gan a gret debat
Shechem against j^ j^^^^* acomplisshed his foul Iccheric, 1432
Whan yonge Dyna, as bookis specefie,
Wente rek[e]lesli walkyng vp and dou«
To seen the maidnes off that roial touw?
He saw her But whan Sichem this Dyna dede espie 1436
and assaulted Sool bi hirselfF[e] walke in the cite,
her, for she had tt m i • i • •
nochancetorunrle gan anon assaile hir be maistne,
•way; ^^^ ^^^ tafforcen hir virgynyte,
Because she hadde no leiser for to fle. 1440
Whos gret offence and transgressioun
The cite brouhte onto destruccioun.
but her father Hir fadir lacob & hooli hir kynreede
brothers Simeon Ageyn this Sichcm gau inwardli disdeyne;
her kiJ**° * Whan the furie off Mars was most to dreede.
1444
To be vengid thei dede ther besy peyne.
And speciali hir worthi brethren tweyne
Fill on the cite, Symeon and Leuy, 1448
Tauenge ther suster & stroie it fynaly.
1417. citees R.
1418. The] witfe H.
1422. thej ther R.
1428. ther] the R.
1430. the] ther B, J, H, R, the H i, H 5, Sloane, R 3,
143 1, sichen R. 1432. Taue B.
1433. bookis] bochas R.
BK. Ill] Bocbas on the Immorality of Princes 369
So mortalli thel gan with hem stryue, «d wt*no mai^
With ther suerdis grounde sharp & keene, ^""^ *'■''"•
OfF male childre thei lefFte non alyue, 1452
Thei wer so vengable in ther furious teene.
The Sichanytes myhte nat susteene
That dai ageyn hem to stonden at difFence,
So importable was ther violence. 1456
For wher that God list punshe a man off riht i^ uS'.^nd"
Bi mortal suerd, farweel al resistence: ^ ^"°''i?!''
. there can be no
Whan grace faileth, awey goth force & myht, resistance.
Feblith off pryncis the magnyficence, 1460
Chaungeth ther* power into inpotence,
Reuersith the kynges ther statli regalie,
Exaumple in Sichem, for his fals ribaudie.
It was an hard dreedful punycioun, 1464 Ju^shmen"d,e
That, O Pryncis, trespas in lecherie destruction of
ir/--iiii • an entire region;
Caused afor God that al a regioun y« «uch things
~. . , . , , . happen when
Destroied was withoute remedie. princes become
This story told[e] for texemplefie, 1468 "^°"°"'"
Whan noble pryncis to wommen them submitte,
Grace and al fauour anon doth fro them flitte.
Off this stori what sholde I write mor? l^I".!l„°°™!lf
you any more oi
In Genesis the residue ye may reede, 1472 ^'' *^°^:- y°"
The deth off Sichem and off kyng Emor, in Genesis.
And how ther kyngdam destroied was in deede.
Off Sichanites, loo, heer the fynal meede,
Off lecherie and off his fals plesaunce, 1476
Which many a rewm hath brouht onto myschauwce!
fl What sholde I efft reherse ageyn or write And why should
rr-., c, ' rr -n • wnte again
The fals auoutn off Pans and Heleyne? f|TS^*r-'*d"*
Ther woful fall Guido dede endite; 1480 and other poets
T% • 1 11 111' have declared
roetis echon dede eek ther besi peyne how aii the
To declare, how onli bi these tweyne Tr^y a^ ''^
The worthi blood, for short conclusioun, w^^'eSTn
Off Troie and Grece cam to destruccioun. 1484 ^^^'"^ account.
1451. sharp] & sharp H. 1455. stonden] stoden R.
1458. al] & R. 1461. ther] the B — Impotence H, R.
1463. fals] om. R.
1468. This] l)e H.
1471. stori] mateer R.
1475. Sychamytes H.
1478. ageyne reherce R.
370 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes Qbk. hi
But ofFte it fallith that mekil habundauwce
Off worldli good, with gret ese and richesse,
In folkis that sette al hooli ther plesauwce
To folwe ther lustis ofF froward wilfulnesse, 1488
Hath caused in londes gret myscheefF & distresse,
Whan vicious lifF ther corages dede encoumbre,
Destroied kyngdames & peeplis out off nouwbre.
^n^no^^tSln For whan the peeple thoruh fals obstynacie 1493
from their jg indutat tamendc hem and correcte,
licentiousness, . '
they are in- And wil nat tume hem from ther lecherie,
evitably brought _, t i i • r
to confusion, liice but ay ar Fcdi ther soules to miecte, —
^' And onto purpos my stile I will directe, 1496
Texemplefie how Gabaa the toun
Was for his synwe brouht to confusioun.
Whilom this peeple callid Gabanytes, [p. 163]
From Beniamyn descendid in ther lyne, 1500
Wer ai disposid to folwe ther delites,
And off custum ther wittis dede enclyne
In worldli plente to flouren & to shyne,
And dempte alwai, to them it was most due 1504
OfF wilfulnesse ther lustis for to sue.
the'Levite'rwife ^^ Icchetie was set al ther plesauwce,
And in that vice thei ladde most ther lifF,
Wherbi thei wer[e]n brouht onto myschauwce, 1508
And many on slayn be ful mortal striff,
Whan the Leuite cam forbi with his wifF,
Ful excellent ofF fetures and beute,
And took his loggyng withynne that gret cite. 1512
deathf"'^'^ '"'' He was ful old, and she was inli fair.
He inpotent and she but tendre ofF age,
Thoruh Gabaa makyng ther repair.
The citeseyns ofF inportune rage, 1516
Shewing the furie off ther gret outrage.
So longe that nyht hir beute dede assaile,
Till lifF and breth attonys dede faile.
1485. it]om. H.
1490. corage R.
1498. his3 this H — to] om. R.
1507. vice] wyse R.
1514. impotent R, H.
15 16. importune R, H.
BK. iii3 Bochas on the Immorality of Princes
371
Contagious was the sclaundre & difFame,*
In ludicum the story ye mai reede,
Which to reherse is a maner shame,
To heere thabusioun off that foule deede;
And how the Leuite amorwe gan take* heede
With pitous cheer, & sauh his yonge wiiF
Tofor the gate depryued off hit liff.
He hente hir up & leid hir on his asse;
To noise this crym vpon eueri side,
Thouhte in such caas he myhte do no lasse, —
Took a sharp suerd, & Hst no lenger bide,
On twelue parties he gan hir to deuide.
And to ech Tribe off Jacob he hath sent
A certeyn parti, to seen ther iugement.
Which thyng to hem was hatful & terrible,
And in ther siht ful abhomynable.
And in al haste likli and possible,
Alle off o will and o corage stable,
On Gabonites for to be vengable
Thei gadred han, shortli to conclude,
Tassaile that toun a ful gret multitude.
Whan thei first mette, atwen hem thus it stood;
The twelue Tribus wer twies put to fliht,
On outher parti gret quantite off blood
Was shad among hem in that mortal fiht;
For sexti thousand, who that counte ariht,
Wer slay[e]n ther, the stori wil nat lie,
Tauenge the sclaundre off fals avoutrie.
Loo, heer the guerdoun off the froward firis
In lecherous folk, that wil nat staunchid be.
That brente so hoote thoruh bestial desiris
In Gabaa the myhti strong cite.
Which was destroied for his iniquite.
And almost brouht off Beniamyn the lyne
Thoruh this offence to eternal ruyne.
and brought
•^•5^° great slander
and defame on
themselves, as
is told in
Judges.
1534
TTie Levite
divided her
j-jQ body into il
"^ parts and sent
one to each of
the Twelve
Tribe*,
1533
who resolved to
take vengeance
on the
Gibeonites,
1536
1540
and fought a
battle with
them in which
sixty thousand
men were slain
and their city
1544 destroyed and
the line of
Benjamin
almost brought
to ruin for ever.
1548
^SSi
1520. was] om. J, P — &] & the B, R, H, J, H 5.
1524. on morwe R — taken B.
1527. hente] sent H — on] vpon H. 1530. abide H.
1531. hir] hir hede R. 1532. to] om. R.
1537. 2nd o] of o R. 1540. that] the R.
1542. Tribus] tribs H. 1546. ther] om. R,
1553. off] to H.
372
An Envoy on the Vices of Princes
[bk. Ill
wSecapitaS'd ^ Eclc for hIs fcrucnt dronken lecherle
huHkenrust OlofFernes be ludith loste his hed; 1556
And al his host and al his cheualrie
LefFte the feeld & fledde awei for dreed,
And he lai bathed in his blood al red.
Thus thoruh this vice, yifF it be weel souht, 1560
Ful many a prynce hath be brouht to nouht.
These said[e] stories ouhte inouh suffise,
YifF men wolde considre & taken heede,
The grete vengaunces in many sundri wise 1564
Which God hath take for this synne in deede.
As in ther bookis thei may beholde & reede
Warnynges afForn, ful offte put at preefF,
How thei hemsilfF shal saue fro myscheef. 1568
and many a
prince has come
to his end for
this vice.
Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie yeueth vs a gret warnyng,
Be deer exauwples of manyfold resoun.
How many a prince for ther mysleuyng.
And many riche, roial, myhti toun, 1572
Many a cite and many a regioun
Ha[ue] been euersid, ful notable & famous.
For synne ofF pryncis that wer lecherous.
Urirh*that°he"'The chose ofF God, Dauid the worthi kyng, 1576
Prophete ofF prophetis, most souereyn ofF renouw,
On Bersabe for a sodeyn lokyng
To slen Vrie cauhte occasiouw,
For which he sufFred gret punyciouw, 1580
Chastised ofF God, he and al his hous.
For cause onli that he was lecherous.
This tragedy
warns us that
many princes,
together with
their regions,
have been
destroyed
because of their
dissolute habits.
might possess
Bathsheba, was
well punished
for it,
and repented
sorely, writing
psalms of
contritition to
make amends
for his
transgression.
Gret repentauwce he hadde & gret sorwyng, [p.
And made psalmis ofF gret contricioun,
With woful teris & manyfold wepyng
To make a-seeth for his transgressiouw,
Yeuyng to pryncis ful deer direccioun
For to eschewe* the flatri odious
And the fals fraude ofF womwen lecherous.
164]
1584
1588
1569. a] om. H.
1573. 2nd a] om. R.
1588. teschewe B.
BK. Ill]
y/n Envoy on the Vices of Princes
373
^\T:o wa» there
ever more
famous for hii
wisdom than
by women.
Samson yielded
to the tears of
Ddilah.
1600
-r_ . and Shechem
^°°4 was siain for
seducing Dinah.
1608
Wher was ther euere off science or cuwnyng
So renommed as was kyng Salamoun?
Yitwommenmadehym,thoruh[therl falsflatervTig.isoj Ki°« Solomon?
rj. r 1 1 • 1 1 1 • -^ °' ^^ Yet his honour
10 lOreyn gOddlS dOOn OblaClOUn, was darkened
Which clipsid his honour & brouht his fame doun.
That was in wisdam whilom most vertuous,
Til he thoruh womr/zen fill to be lecherous. 1596
Is it nat eek remembrid be writjiig.
Off Israel how the cheeff[e] champioun,
Which goddis peeple hadde in his ledyng,
I meene the famous, myhti, strong Sampsoun,
That thoruh his force to-rente the lyoun, —
But Dalida with teres plenteuous
His grace berafft hym & made hym lecherous.
Sichem was slayn eek for the rauasshjTig
Off yong Dyna, as maad is mencioun;
His fader Emor brouh[t] to his eendj-ng.
Lost his richesse in that discencioun,
And his kyngdam brouht to destruccioun.
Loo, heer the fyn off pryncis vicious,
Which them dispose for to be lecherous!
It is in erthe oon the moste pereilous thyng,
A prynce to been off his condicioun
Effemynat, his wittis encl>-n}Tig,
Be fals desirs off flesshli mocioun.
To put hj'mselff vnder subieccioun,
And thralle his resoun, tresour most precious.
To onleeful* lustis, hatful & lecherous.
This is the sentence ful plejiili in menyng:
WTier women haue the dominacioun
To holde the re\Tie, ther hookis out castyng.
That sensualite ha[ue] iurediccioun
To entre on resoun bi fals intrusioun,
W^erre age>Ti vertu most contagious,
To be venquysshid off lustis lecherous, —
It taketh fro men ther cleemesse off seyng,
Causeth gret siknessis and corrupcioun,
And to al vertu it is grettest hjiidryng,
1613
It is periloas
for a prince to
be effeminate
and to allow
his reason to
become thrall
to unlawful
desires;
1616
for where
women have
domination and
sensuality con-
1630 qoers virtue.
1634
men become
corrupt in body
and grow cAi
before their
tinie.
1590. or] & R. 1591. Renouned H.
1592. ther] am. J, R. 1597. Is it] It is R.
1617. onleeful] thonleeful B, H, R, J.
1626. and] of H.
1605. Oflr].\sR.
374 ^^^ Story of Cambyses [bk. hi
Maketh men seeme old, as be inspeccloun, i6a8
Appallith ther mynde and disposicloun,
Shorteth ther dales, thyng dreedful & pitous,
Whan thel dispose hem for to be lecherous.
K/thr"' Noble Pryncis, in your ymagynyng ^ 1632
women"'' °^ Conccyueth ofF womwen the fals decepciouw,
especially Namli ofF them that loue but for wynnyne,
such fls love
only for gain. And laboure ay for your possessioun,
anoint your ears Whos sugred flattie is fals collusiouw, 1636
flatter^r"^ Lik to Sitenes with vois melodious
Enoynte your eres to make you lecherous.
[How Cambises assentyng to the moordre of his
brothir Mergus at last slouh himsilf.] ^
fon"nte ^'' A FFTIR the deth of myhti kyng Cirus,
Cambyses came ±\ Next Cam his soue callld Cambises, 1640
complaining to. . -,..
Bochas, that the Heit be successioun ful victorious,
idolaters and Which tofot Bochas put hymselfF in pres
who was caifed' And gau his complcynt — this is dout[e]les, —
f^1s°ind°'liaL^ That thei off Egipt, in many vnkouth wise, 1644
by his brother. ^^ sundti goddis dedc sacrifise.
First onto Apis thei dede reuerence,
Callid Serapis, ther grettest god off all,
Regnyng in Egipt ofF most excellence, 1648
And god of goddis foolis dede hym call.
And ofF his noblesse thus it is befall,
Slayn bi his brother, which is a gret wonder,
Seuered on pecis & ful ferr cast assonder. 1653
tians^Md a'pIs And thei ofF Egipt made ther ordynaufices,
Camb'^s^r°"^' ^P P^y"'^ off ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ statutis olde,
resolved to A god to calle hym, & doon ther obseruaunces
all their temples; Withynne his tempHs, lik as thei wer holde. 1656
WherofF Cambises, toforn as I you tolde,
AUe the templis ofF that regioun
Cast hym be force for to throwe dou«.
1629. and] and ther R.
1647. ther] the R.
1659. throwe] throw hem H.
1 MS. J. leaf 68 recto.
BK. Ill]
Tbf Heath of Camhyses
375
The temple off lubiter to robbe it be rauyne,
Callid Amon, withoute excepcioun,
His knyhtis sente to brynge it to ruyne.
But thei echon for ther presumpcioun,
With sodeyn leuene wer smet & bete doun.
Wheroff Cambises, in Asie tho regnyng,
Hadde this drem as he lai slepyng.
He drempte his brother, that called was
Mergus,
Sholde in the kyngdam afftir hym succeede,
Wheroff in herte he wex so envious,
That he purposed, off rancour and hatreede,
Bi sum mene to make his sides bleede;
And that his purpos sholde take auail,
A magicien he took to his counsail.
And he was holde a ful gret philisophre,
Callid Cometes, ful sleihti and cunnyng,
To whom Cambises made a large proffre
Off gold and tresour to make hym assentyng
To execute this horrible thyng;
And that he wolde in most cruel wise
The moordre off Mergus compassen & deuise.
And whil Cambises ordeyned this tresoun.
To slen Mergus, his owne brother deere,
God from aboue caste his eien doun,
Hym to pun[y]she in ful cruel manere:
For he wex wood[e], who-so list to lere,
Cauht a sharp suerd, & roff his thih on tweyne;
And sodenli he deied for the peyne.
For too causes God took on hym vengaunce.
As myn auctour Bochas doth expresse:
For his presumptuous fals disobeisaunce,
Spoilyng the goddis off her gret richesse.
And for the froward gret onkynd[e]nesse
To yeue assent to the contagious caas.
Whan that Mergus his brother moordred was.
1660
and when be
sent his knights
to rob Jupiter
Ammon, they
were suddenly
struck by
a thunderbolt.
1664
Ca mbytes
dreamt that he
[p. 1 65] »''°"'*^ ^
succeeded by
1668 ^^^ brother
Smerdis and
consequently
resolved to kill
him.
1672
He took counsel
of a magician
called Gometes
and offered him
1676 feat treasure
lor Smerdis'
life.
1680
1684
But God, who
saw what was
going on,
punished
Cambyses with
death.
1688
for two reasons:
because he
presumptuously
despoiled
the gods of their
great wealth,
and because of
, his unkindness
1092 to his brother
Smerdis.
1662. it] om. H.
1675. Comeres P — and] of H.
1686. thih] teth H.
376 Oropastes crowned King 0/ Persia []bk. hi
Il^d'pers'irstckjd ^^^ ^^^^ °^ whom WES checfF occasioun
disconsolate Off ful grct wcrrc, strvucs and debat, 1696
without an heir -r-vii-i i-ii
to the throne, Jiek tynal cause whi al the regioun
Gomeus substi- Off myhti Perse stood disconsolat:
Oropasies^'°'*'"For heir was non, ofF hih nor low estat,
M^gTan) foAhe ^6 title ofF riht, thoruh this onhappi chauwce, 1700
s'mefdu'^ To been ther kyng and ha[ue] the gouernaunce.
For the magician callid Cometes,
Which slouh Mergus, as ye haue herd expresse,
Took his brother callid Oropastes, 1704
And made hym kyng, the stori berth witnesse,
Because that he resembled in liknesse
Onto Mergus off face and off stature.
To crowne hym kyng therfore he dede his cure. 1708
Smerdu wa8°not HPHE dcth off Mctgus outward was nat knowe
at ^first^ ''°°'^" Nor pleynli publisht in that regioun;
His bodi buried and cast in erthe lowe.
Off whom the moordre and fraudulent tresouw, 1712
The pitous slauhtre wrouht be coUusiouw,
And al the maner, bi processe was espied
So openli it myhte nat be denyed.
princfnamed^ And in what wise the noise gan out spreede 1716
otanes sought Touchyug this moordre odious for to heere:
to find out all the /-\ • i • i i
circumstances Whan that Otapastcs ocupied m deede
The crowne off Perse, the stori doth vs lere,
Ther was a prynce ful notable & enteere, 1720
Callid Hostanes, that gan his witt applie.
Off hih prudence this moordre out tespie.
Oro'^^s'tL hl^d Whil that Orapastes, vnder a fals pretence,
no just right to Qff Percieus was resseyued as for kyng, 1724
The said[e] prynce dede his deligence,
Bi inquisicioun to ha[ue] knowlechyng.
Be what engyn or be what sleihti thyng
The said Orapastes cauhte occasioun 1728
In stede off Mergus to ocupie the crouw.
1696. strifFe R. 1697. whi] whi that R.
1698. disconsolat] consolate R. 1700. this] his R.
1701. kyngi heir R. 1702. Comares P.
1711. erthe] therth H. 1717. for] owi. H.
1718. Oropastes J, R 3, P. 1721. Otanes P.
1723. Oropastes J. 1724. receyued was H.
1726. to haue] ta full H. 1728. Oropastes J.
BK. Ill]
Otanes and Oropastes
377
On this mateer he hadde a coniecture,
That his title was nouther hool nor cleer.
The trouthe to trie he dede his besi cure,
And to serche out hooli the maneer,
He souht[e] so ferr that he cam riht neer,
And in this caas lettid for no slouthe,
Till that he hadde founden out the trouthe.
The cas was this, pleynli to termyne:
He hadde a douhter, ful fair off hir visage,
Which off the kyng was cheuest concubyne,
Bi whom he thouhte to cachchen auauntage.
And onto hir he hath sent his massage,
Secreli tenqueren how it stood,
Wher that .the kyng wer come oiF Cirus blood.
And bad she sholde secreli taken heed,
Whil that he slepte to doon hir besi peyne
With hir handis for to feele his hed,
And to grope aflPtir bothe his eris tweyne.
And yilF it fill — ther is no mor to seyne —
Vpon his hed that she non eris founde.
To telle hir fadir, oflF trouthe as she was bounde.
This myhti prynce Hostanes knew[e] weel, [p.
Riht as it is recorded be scripture,
Touchyng this caas how it stood euerideel.
How kyng Cambises off sodeyn auenture,
Bi his lyue for a forfeture.
Made off Orapastes, the stori seith nat nay,
Bothe his tweyne eris to be kit away.
And heerupon to be certefied.
He was desirous ta[ue] ful knowlechyng.
Which be his douhter whan it was espied,
Vpon a nyht liggyng bi the kyng,
Gropyng his hed[e] as he lai slepyng,
Ful subtili felte and took good heed.
How he non eris hadde vpon his hed. 1764
And to hir fadir anon she hath declarid
The secrenesse off this auenture.
And for no feer nor dreed he hath nat sparid,
1732
1736
Finally he
discovered the
truth through
his daughter,
who was the
king's chief
1740 concubine.
,^., He bade her
^/44 secretly feel the
king's head
while he slept
and see whether
he had ears or
not;
1748
^f\fA for Otanes
*"^J knew that
■w-j-n Oropastes had
' •* forfeited his ears
as a punishment
during Cam-
byse»' reign.
1756
It tnraed out
that the king
had no ears.
1760
So Otanes called
the prince* of
Persia to a
council.
1731. nor]neH. 1733. serche] seche R. 1738. hir]om. R.
1759- taful B. 1766. this] his R.
378 Otanes rids Persia of Oropastes [bk. hi
How that it stood[e] pleynli to discure. 1768
And first off all he dede his besi cure,
AUe the pryncis off Perse-lond ifeere
To couMseil calle tentrete off this mateere.
them^'a'boJtthl'^'^nd whan thei wern assemblid euerichon, 1772
WdL"^ OiF Orapastes he told hem al the chaunce,
And how that Mergus was moordred yore agon,
As heer-toforn is put in remembraunce.
Wherupon to sette an ordynaunce 1776
And to redresse tltjiese wronges doon toforn,
Off Perse-lond wer seuene pryncis sworn.
werrswom" ^^ oo" assent in ther entencioun,
OropTs'te*. Bi bond off 0th thei made ther assuraunce, 1780
And a ful secre coniuracioun *
To putte Orapastes from his roial puissauwce,
Which hadde al Perse vnder his gouernauwce
Bi a ful fals pretens off heritage, 1784
For he was lik to Mergus off visage.
^or'd8°^kh^^"^ These seuene pryncis, off which toforn I tolde,
teng^dfeir ^^^^ °^ ^°" hette, & bi ther oth ibouwde,
'^a^iacl"'^° ^^\ d f*''"^^^^ ^^^ manli and off yeris olde, 1788
the king, but Han souht a tyme Orapastes to confounde.
held off by his And with ther suerdis sharp[e] whet & grouwde,
slew two of them Wonder couert in ther apparaile.
Cam off entent Orapastes to assaile. 1792
And in the paleis whom-euer that thei mette
Or ageyn hem made resistence,
AUe off accord thei fersli on hym sette.
But the magicien, that was ther in presence, 1796
Cam ageyn hem be sturdi violence.
And at thencouwtre gan hem so constreyne.
That off the pryncis thei haue islay[e]n tweyne.
[Oropastes occupyeng the crowne of Perce bi iniust
title was moordred.] ^
prelaHed^'and ^^^ fynali the tothet pryncis fyue, 1800
killed Oropastes Whan that thei sauh ther tweyne feeris bleede,
and all who were ■, , ■. i-i-irr i
in the palace. Jn al the paleis thei leffte non alyue.
1772. assemblid] assembled to gedre R. 1777- to] om. H.
1781. secre] sette R. 1786. These] The H.
1790. sharp whet swerdis & grounde R — I grownde H.
1791. Wonder] Vndir H. 1792. for tassaile H.
1793. the] that H. 1798. thencountre] thentre H.
^ MS. J. inner margin 68 verso.
BK. Iii^ How Darius became King of Persia 379
And kyng Orapastes, quakyng in his dreede,
Ful onwarli, or that he took heede, 1804
Was slay[e]n ther, guerdoned for al his myht, —
Off pretens kynges which regne & ha[ue] no riht.
[^ow Dary obteynyng the kyngdam of perce be
sleiht eended with shame.] ^
A
FFTIR the deth of this magiciens ^SmSan,
Was lefft no kyng to ha[ue] the gouemaunce,i8o8 ^'bcld!i°°in'**
Nor for to reule the lond off Perciens, P<^sia »ave five
pnnces.
Sauff pryncis fyue, ful famous off puissaunce,
Which made a statut and an ordynaunce
Off oon accord, be record off writyng, 1812
Theron concludyng who sholde be chose kyng.
Ther sort, ther hz^pe and al ther auenture tochoosTone
Was youe to Fortune off this eleccioun, °^ themseivej,
As thus: that prynce the crowne shal recure 1816
Among these fyue, be ther convencioun
For to gouerne the myhti regioun
And in that lond to regne & contune,
Lik as the fauour list ordeyne off Fortune. 1820
This was the statut : vpon a morwenyng, Sa'^ Jf "cTridL
Alle attonys erli for to ride °"^ ^"^'y '° ^"^^
A A 1 T>i I • morning up a
Atwen Aurora and rhebus vpnsyng, hm»ide and to
Vp to an hill to houe[n] and abide, 1824 whose horse
Al rancour & discord set a-side, "'*
Whos hors among hem was first herd neieng,
Withoute gruchchyng sholde be crownyd kyng.
Vpon this mateer what sholde I lenger tarie? — 1828 ^c^^Lse
Heeron was maad an oth in sekimesse. ?"°».« 'v*'
A 1 • I !!• 1 T-v • Uanus, had a
Among these pryncis ther was on callid Dane, servant who
A prynce off Perse excellyng off noblesse, would help his
Which hadde a seruaunt, the stori berth witnesse, 1832 """"^ "^"^
That kept his hors, & thouhte in verrai deede
He wolde his lord preferre at such a neede.
1810. fyue princis R.
1812. Off] And H. 1814. happis H. 1816. As] And R.
1821. momyng H. 1824. houen] hove H, P — abide] ta-
bide H.
1825. discorde & rancour H. 1834. a] om. R.
1 MS. J. leaf 68 verso.
380 How Darius became King of Persia [|bk. Ill
beforVth^e'ion- ^^^ ^^^^ scruaiit, ful slcihti in werkyng, [p. 167]
master'l'ho^rse ^^^ dellgcnce llst nothyng to spare. 1836
come together Xhc dai toforn[el set off ther meetvng,
with a mare on . , , , i i
the same hill- At a place smothe, pleyn and bare,
side, and when tt*i i*i i ii
they rode there liis lordis hots hc made lepc a mare.
natur"cau^sed And on the morwc whan the pryncis mette 1840
neigh°ioudTy. O" hors[e]bak, there his lord he sette.
And whan the hors thedir cam ageyn,
Nature anon afForced his corage
To neie loude vpon the same pleyn, 1844
Wher-as the mare had vsid hir passage.
Kynde in such caas hadde gret auauntage.
Be which[e] sleihte, pleynli to reherse.
The said[el Dary was crownyd kyng off Perse. 1848
The princes "^he pryncis alle, lik ther convencioun,
made no con- r j ii-r't I'l
tradiction, and, Qr Phebus shewed his fin bemys briht,
dismountmg ttt- i • rr ^• •
from their Withoute striit or contradiccioun
horses, said to t-> i i i i* I'l ^ »
Darius, "Long 1* tom thet hors sodeuli aliht; 1853
live the King!" ^^j ^^^^ j)^j.j^ ^^ j^^jj ^^ ^j^^j ^^^^^
Saide in Greek[e] or thei vp aros,
" Policronitudo Basileos!"
Which is in Latyn, to speke in wordes pleyn, 1856
And in Inglissh, bexpownyng off scripture,
Afftir the Greek, as moche for to seyn
As, "long[e] tyme mote the kyng endure," —
And lyue in helthe with good auenture, i860
Bi the grace and fauour off Fortune
Vpon al Perse to regnen and contune.
ihit " mYn *'''° Who list considren eueri circuwstauwce,
should rise to be Jt Jg a metueil nat groundid on prudence, 1864
king by such t^. , , ., ,
means; but when 13i such a sleihtc a kyng tagouemauncc.
Fortune f a vours,rT->i i • i i rr • '3
no one can 1 horuH title ot clcym as oit lust euidence,
So to be reised to kyngli excellence.
But whan Fortune fauoureth such assay, 1868
Till that she chaunge, ther can no man sei nay.
1835. sleihti] sleuhty R. 1836. nothyng^ nat R.
1837. by forn H. 1841. lordj horse H.
1850. his] hir H — fire R.
1855, Polycromitudo P.
1856. inl om. R.
1866. orJofR.
say nay.
BK. Ill]
Tbg Story of Coriolanus
381
Thus was kyng Darie, born off louh lynage.
Set up be sleihte in estaat honurable.
Thouhte that he wolde for his auauntage,
To make his kyngdam & his regne stable,
Wedde such a wiff as to hym was most hable,
Demyng off trouthe his cleym wer weel amewdid,
Off Cirus lyne yiff she were descendid. 1876
To wedde suchon was al his couetise,
Stable for to regne vpon the Persiens.
And, as I fynde, in ful cruel wise,
Bi the counseil off fals magiciens 1880
A werre he gan vpon the Egipciens.
Eek folili he gan for to werreie
Them off Athenys, which list hym nat obeie.
And, as myn auctour maketh rehersaile,
He for his pride and fals presumpcioun
Was disconfited twies in bataile,
And neuer afftir, as maad is mencioun.
He was nat had in reputacioun,
Mong Persiens so gan his honour fade.
With sleihte he gan; with shame an eende he made
A» Darius was
not of high
lineage, he
married a
1872 descendant of
Cyrus to
strengthen his
position.
and foolishly
made war on the
Egyptians and
the Greeks.
yOQ . He was beaten
*°**4 twice in battle
and never
afterwards held
in respect by
the Persians.
He began with
_„_ deception and
1000 ended with
shame.
[How Corolian bi Romayns exilid gan werrc ayenst
hem and how aftir thei sent out his moder with
othir for pees, which had, thei eft him exilid &
aftir was slayn.] ^
AFFTIR this Darie, as I reherse can,
And myn auctour likith to conclude.
To lohn Bochas cam Corolian,
The moste woful off al that multitude.
Which gan compleyne vpon thyngratitude
Off the Romeyns, how thei whilom in deede
Exilid his persone, off rancour & hatreede.
Which in his tyme wolde neuer cese,
Thoruh his noblesse and his hih renoun,
Ther comoun profit tawmente and encrese,
And for to brynge to ther subieccioun
Many a cite and many a noble toun.
1876. she] he R.
1893. Coriolan P. 1894. al] om. H.
1902. 2nd a] om. H.
^ MS. J. leaf 69 recto.
After Dariuj,
Coriolanus
l8o3 *PPcared, com-
plaining how
the Romans had
exiled him,
although he had
never ceased to
labour for the
iRnfi **'™'°o° profit.
1900
382 The Story of Coriolanus [^bk. hi
Yit thei ageynward, for al his cheualrie,
Han hym exilid ofF malice and envie. 1904
h^w unkinHhe ^ut whan this Marcus, callid Corolian,
^e°went toThe ^auh ofF Romcyns the gret onkynd[e]nesse,
Tuscans and Toward a cuntrc that callid was Tuskan
to begin a war OfF hih disdcyn anon he gan hym dresse, 1908
hh help.'' ^" And hem entretid, ofF manli fell prowesse
To gynne a werre, sithe thei so manli be,
Thoruh his conveieng geyn Rome the cite.
thlttht Rodmans And for to put hem mor in assurauwce, 1912
were torn by f q hafuel victorie thofuh ther hih renouw,
dissension and ,i . i i- rr t
that they would Hc tolde hem pleynli orr a gret distauwce,
OfF a fals strifF and a discencioun
That was ofF newe falle in Rome toun; 1916
Wherfor thei shulde, yifF it be prouided,
Conquere hem lihtli, because thei were deuided.
greaTxSln^ ^ ^^ ^^^^ assent he made a gret arme, [p. 168]
army, and when \Yit:h stufF fot werre richeli apparailed, 1920
It arrived before . r ^ •
the city the Pihte his teutis tofor that strong cite,
ove?com7with And in the feeld stood proudli [en]batailed.
liwayT^the " But the hertis ofF Romeyns han hem failed,
kfngdom u^ And durst nat passe the gatis ofF ther tou«, 1924
divided. Ther was among hem so gret deuysiouw.
Ther cite stood that tyme destitut.
With feer supprised for lak off gouernauwce.
Them to difFende thei fond[e] no refut, 1928
So ferr enfeeblisshid was ther old puissauwce.
For euer gladli, wher strifF & variaunce
In any kyngdam haue an interesse,
Touchyng difFence,* a-dieu al hardynesse! 1932
There can be Withynwe hemsilfFM thei stood at debat;
no wise counsel J ,. -
where there is AfFom ther enmyes redi for tassaile;
Confort was non in hih nor low estat:
For wher discord is, what couwsail mai auaile? 1936
Ther foon withoute, withynwe hemsilfF bataile,
Brouht in, alas, to ther confusiouw,
Bi the fals serpent off discenciouw.
1906. Sauh] SaufF R.
1909. fell] hih R, hygh H 5.
1921. afforn<r H — strong] gret R. 1922. batailed J.
1932. diffence] a difFence B, R, J.
1935. louh nor hih H.
BK. Ill]
Coriolanus and Folumnia
383
But at the laste afForced and constreyned, 1940
Thel were coact[e] afFtir pes to seeke.
The caas stood so: ofFnede thei wer peyned,
Maugre ther myht, ther hertis for to meeke.
And ther myscheefF mor tencrece and eeke,
In awmentyng ofF ther cruel fatis,
Thei sauh ther ewmyes briht armed at ther gatis.
Thei sent out first preestis ofF the toun
With ther enmyes for tentrete ofF pes,
With humble profFres & low subieccioun;
But Corolian, this is dout[e]les,
Ageyn the Romeyns was so merciles,
That grace non myht in his herte myne
To ther request his eris to enclyne.
Thanne the Romeyns, the stori telle can.
To Venturia made ther praier,
Which was the mooder ofF Corolian,
And to Volumia, his feithful wifF enteer.
That thei sholde bothe gon ifeer
Onto that prynce, besechyng at the leste,
Benygneli to heryn ther requeste. i960
His mooder first ful prudentli abraide,
Onto hir sone makyng this questioun.
At ther meetyng to hym thus she saide:
"Shal I," quod she, "for short conclusioun,
OfF feithful herte and trewe afFeccioun
To thi presence declare fynali,
Be now receyued as mooder or enmy?
AfFtir thyn answere I mut myselfF dispose
And my wittis speciali applie.
Cause ofF my komyng cleerli to onclose,
And telle thefFect of myn ambassiatrie.
And my speche so gouerne and guie, 197a
AlFtir I am receyued to thi grace,
Mi-silfF declaryng, yifF I ha[ue] tyme and space.
For lik thi mooder yifF thou receyue me
And me accepte onto thi presence, 1976
I mut therafFtir so gouemed be
To telle my tale pleynli, in sentence, —
So that thou yifF me freendli audience.
And yifF I be nat receyued in such wise, 1980
Mor straung[e]li my tale I mut deuise."
1980. be nat3 om. R.
So there was
nothing to be
done but sue for
peace.
1944
The Romans
first sent
^948 atnuf.'"'
refused to listen
to them.
1952
Then his
mother, and_
Volunmia, his
wife, went to
1956 ''i™ """^ begged
him to hear
their request.
Said his mother,
"Am I to be
received as
mother or
enemy?
1964
•r^/CQ "My action
I9O0 must depend
upon your
answer.
"If you receive
me as a mother,
I will give you
the message of
the Romans in
simple words,
otherwise I must
tell my tale more
circumspectly.
384 Coriolanus and Volumnia [|bk. hi
SSced'his This noble prynce, this Corolian,
Mid''"'^Madam Whan that he herde his mooder thus compleyne,
I receive you as pul Hk a lotd and a knyhtli man 1084
my dear mother, /->, . • i ....
but I intend (jan hir enbracen in his armis tweyne
nevertheless to t i i • • .1
chastise the In lowii wisc, ther is no mor to seyne, —
bSudl-^'^'SaufF lik a sone, ofF due and ofF riht,
To hire he saide ful lik a ientil knyht: 1988
"Madame," quod he, "be it to your plesauwce
To heere my conceit as in this mater.
With feithful herte and humble attendauwce
I you receyue as for my mooder deer; 1992
But, & ye like benygneli to heer,
Thyngratitude, doon in most cruel wise
To me off Romayns, I purpose to chastise."
Z*" '^thei'r'^'^ "A sone," quod she, "touchyng ther offence 1996
offence can be Doon to thi uoblessc and ther gret outrage,
atoned for: you => ° '
are of their 1 hci shal be meuys ther trespas recompence.
mercr'modify And thynk[e] thou art born off ther lynage,
your rigour. ^f^j sufFtc that metci thi rigour mai asswage, 2000
And thynk off nature thou maist nat weel withseie
Thyng for the which thi mooder doth now preie.
a warTgaiS" Thou shalt nat close thyn entrailes off pite [p. 169]
and'de°stroy^ To the requcstis off me and off thi wiiF, 2004
your own line Not gynue a werre ageynfels thi cuntre,
in mortal strife! ™ ='•' . , . , , . ° "^ "■ •* , .'
1 o stroie thi iyne bi newe mortal striit,
Thi childre and me to make vs lose our lifF.
Weie in ballaunce to Romayns thyn hatreede 2008
Ageyns the loue off me and* thi kenreede.
luange^^'idiers ^cud hom agcyu thi strauwge soudiours,
away, who Which bc SO redi the Romayn blood to sheede;
are so ready to . ii- i
shed Roman Lat stoude lu pes out wallis and our tours; 2012
blood. I will r> rr 1 • i • i
be hostage. bunre thi grace thi rancour to exceede.
So that thi pite mai putte awai al dreede,
And condescende to receyue for hostage
Me to be plegge for ther gret outrage. 2016
hS'i"Ted°you Behold* the wombe in which that thou wer born,
at my breast And scc also my naked brestes* tweyne,
when you were t-»'i-ii c ii r
an infant, tji which thou wete tostted heer-tororn:
1982. Coriolan P.
1989. to] om. R — your] yow H, R 3, you H 5.
2002. Thyng] Thynk R.
2008. in] in a H. 2009. and] and ofF B, H, R, J.
2017. Beheld B. 2018. brestes] sides B, R.
BK. Ill] Coriolanus and Volumnia 385
Yiff ther was lak, thou woldest crie & pleyne. 2020
Remembre theron, and at me nat disdeyne,
But onto merci receyue this cite
At the request heer off thi wifF & me.
Whilom my mylk thi cherisshyng was &* foode 2024 ^"{i'to m!,k° ^
To stynte thi cri whan thou dedist weepe, >;°" ^'"P: ,
»T>i I'riii 1 Have mind on
Ther soote dropis ful holsum wer & goode, my request.
Thi tendre youthe for to preserue and keepe.
And Hk a mooder to brynge the a-sleepe, 2028
I wook ful ofFte, to the I was so kynde, —
Wherfor, deere sone, on my request ha[ue] mynde.
YifF that thou list this cite now tormente, repay°the°fauU5
Ther demerites be rigour recompense, 2032 °^j4'''^^|5^
Pun[y]she me for them, and I will assente punish me, who
To ber the gilt off ther gret offence. bear the guilt.
But, deere soone, lat thi magnyficence
SufFre off knyhthod that merci mai in deede 2036
Attempre thi riht, or thou to doom proceede.
SufFre Romayns to lyuen in quiete, th^'^Roi^nr '°
Grauwt hem pes ageyn ther gret outrage, ^^^e pj^y ^
Sum drope off pite lat in thyn herte fleete, 2040 who offer to
And thynk[e] thou art born off ther lynage.
Looke vpon hem with merciful visage,
Which offre hemsilff[e], as thei shal fulfille,
Ther liff, ther deth, al hooli at thi wille. 2044
Remembre off nature how that the leoun hi^ThTibn
Set a-side his rage and his woodnesse Jh^"^* h* 'f^n™
To them that meekli aforn hym falle doun; down meekly
His roial kynde will doon hem no duresse. 2048
Texemplefie to thi knyhtli noblesse.
With rigerous suerd thou shalt no mor manace
Them that be lowli, yolde onto thi grace."
And whan this prynce, this Corolian, 2052 Sb^t^hi.
Had herd al that his mooder list to seyne, mother weeping
He goth to hire in al the haste he can, granted her
Bespreynt with teris that on his chekis reyne, request.
And hire enbracid in his armis tweyne, 2056
2021. at] lat R.
2024. &] & thi B, H, R.
2036. merci] ojn. R.
386 The End of Coriolanus. Miltiades [bk. hi
And saide, "mooder, ther mai be no lettyng,
Me off hool* herte to graunte your axyng."
"ege'inUu The sicgc he made for tauoide awai,
Tuscans home ^^d to reoaire horn to ther cuntre; 2060
and was received ,,.,,. •rr>i i -i-
back into Rome And With his moodet & wifi he was that dai
With gret[e] gladnesse and solempnite
Anon receyued into that cite,
Lik as Fortune wolde hym neuer haue failed.* 2064
But she soone afFtir ofFnewe hath hym assailed.
But afterwards
the fickle
The geri Romayns, stormy and onstable,
?°'^l" J u- Which neuer in oon stille koude abide,
banished him i i i- i i i
agam, and he Agcyn this Dtynce, most knyhtii and notable, 2068
was then slam _-,° "^ '^. ~ , . ,
by the disap- V Of to couspite On newe thei gan prouyde,
pom e uscans.^^j ban[y]shed hym to Tuskan ther beside,
Wher he was slayn withynne a litil space,
For he the Romayns took afFor* to grace. 2072
[How Melciades duk of Athenys witTi smal noumbre
venquysshed vj? Ml perciens, and aftir bi his
comonte that ay of custum desireth a chaunge
of pnnces newe he was cheyned in prisoun and
so deied.] ^
Duke Miltiades
of Athens
AMONG other that put hemsilfF in pres
For to bewaile ther greuous heuynesse.
Cam off Athenys due Meltiades,*
Which thoruh his manhod & famous hih prowesse, 2076
And thoruh his knyhtii renomwed noblesse,
Lich as auctours his tryumphes list comende,
Fauht many a bataile his cite to diffende.
Ktie'^nX- ^^^ off [his] victories,* as it is compiled, 2080
fence of his city, por comouw profit ofF that noble tonn,
Fauht with a tirant that was toforn exiled,
Callid Hippias, which be fals tresoun
2058. ofF hool] hool ofF B, J, R.
2064. haue failed] assailed B. 2070. banyssh H — to] in H.
2072. took afFor] aiFor took B, H, R, J.
2075. Melciades in B and other MSS., the common blunder of
the copyists, cfor t and vice versa.
2076. famous] om. R. 2077. renouned H.
2080. his] om. R — victoires B. 2082. afForn^ H, afom R.
1 MS. J. leaf 69 recto.
BK. Ill] Miltiades defeats the Persians 387
Hadde to kyng Dane maad a suggestloun, 2084
Vpon Athenys, in al the haste he myhte,
To reise al Perse ageyn that toun to fihte.
Sexe hundred thousand acountid was the noum- ?houMnd nSn
bre [p.170] ^e/eated
Off Persiens, armed in plate and made, 2088 ".''"|JP^°'
Them off Athenys be force to encoumbre, army of sizty
Echon assemblid them proudli to assaile. p<^Sns.
But this due for nothyng wolde faile,
Meltiades, but knyhtli took his place: 2092
With ten thousand he met hem in the face.
For bothe he was riht manli and riht wis, ^^m^^'flfght
And off his handis proued a good knyht. ^°°' ^"°=*'
Set vpon them with so prudent auys, 2096
That thei off Perce, for al ther grete myht,
Wer foure tymes put onto the flyht
Bi thilke due, yiff I shal nat feyne,
And bi the noblesse off other knyhtis tweyne. 2100
Themystodes icallid was the ton, heit'^Th^mU-
Which off his hand, as auctours list descryue, J°*;''^ *°f, ^
TTT • r 1 ir 1 1 1 • r kmght called
Was m a reeldlel prouyd on his ton Cynaegeirus,
ry-,, ,.r 111 • 1 • 1 finally defeated
1 he maniiLestJ knyht in his tyme aiyue. 2104 them.
Which thilke dai so proudli dede stryue
Geyn them off Perse, & such a slauhter make,
That fynali the feeld thei ha[ue] forsake.
Cynegirus, a knyht eek off ther toun, 2108
The same dai thoruh his cheualrie,
With bloodi suerd, as he wente vp & doun,
Withoute nouwbre in his malencolie,
Slouh Persiens, [as] bookis specefie, ana
That for the tyme thei no refut cunne,
Sauff to ther shippis for dreed off deth thei runne.
2091. faile] falle H. 2C592. button. R. 2093. he] oro. H.
2094. For] om. R.
2095. knyht stuck in scribe's pen R.
2096. Set] Sep R.
2101. 'Y\\tm\stoc\ts'?,asnodoubtLydgaU wrote. The copyists
have perpetuated an early blunder of A. for cl.
2102. handis H — auctours] hookes H.
2103. on] of H.
2104. manliest] manli J, R.
2106. Ageyn H.
21 12, as] om. B, H, J, R, H 5, P.
388
The Exploits of Cynaegeirus
[bK. Ill
St thfia7gen''^And ther he wrouhte a strauwge gret mervail,
wfth^his'ri^ht -^^ ^^'^ Bochas, afFermyng in certeyne,
hand, The* grcttest shipp that bar [the] largest sail,
With his riht hand he gan it so restreyne,
Lik as it hadde be fastned with a cheyne,
Maugre Perciens, which dede hem sore greue,
That be no crafFt thei koud nat make it meue.
2116
But whan that thei non other refut wiste,
2124
2128
2132
and when the
Persians cut
hfnd'heTeWthe^^^^^ tescape[n] out ofFhis dauwgeer,
ship with his Till thei his riht hand heuh ofF bi the wriste.
But with his lefft hand he gan approche neer,
And heeld it stille, an vnkouth thyng to heer,
That he hadde force so gret a shipp to lette.
But than> alas, his lefFt hand ofFthei smette!
cut"off MsYeft Yit maugre them, whan he ther malice seeth,
Hf°'^', .''^.•^^''^ Al-were-it so that he hadde lost ech hand,
the ship fast . ...
with his teeth. The shipp he heeld stille with his teeth,
slew 200,000 That thei ne myhte departe fro the land,
Lik as ther vessel hadde falle vpon a sand, —
Causere that day, myn auctour doth reherse.
Too hundred thousand wer slayn off them off Perse.
And whan this synguler myhti champioun, 3136
Cynegirus, most vnkouth off corage.
Had doon this meruail, as maad is mencioun,
Off verrai angwissh he fill into a rage:
Lik a beeste furious and sauage 2140
Ran a-boute, alas, for lak off mynde! —
In Bochas book no mor off hym I fynde.
But in this processe afftir I beheeld
Ay how that Fortune can hir freendis faile: 2144
For Meltiades, ledere off that feeld
And gouernour off al that gret bataile,
Causyng victoire, as maad is rehersaile, —
Yit his peeple off malice and off ire 2148
Ageyn his noblesse falsli gan conspire.
p?iLn"* '"" '" Thei off Athenys set hym in prisoun.
And in cheynys myhtili hym bouwde,
Onkynd[e]li thei gaff hym this guerdouw, 2152
Cynaegeirus
then went mad,
and Bochas
tells no more
about him.
Miltiades'
subjects con-
spired against
him in spite of
his victory
21 17. 1st The] Ther B, H 5 — 2nd the] om. R, J, P.
21 19. as] om. R. 2128. thei] the R.
2132. parte frome H. 2133. a] om. R.
BK. Ill] -^n Envoy on the Fickleness of the People
For al the knyhthod [that] thei in hym founde.
Yit had he sufFred many mortal wounde
In ther difFence and for ther Hbertees,
To saue ther lyues, ther toun & ther cuntrees. 2156
This was the eende off due Meltiades,
Thoruh the constreynt off his stronge bondis.
Eek thei exilid the knyht Themystodes
Out off ther toun to lyue in straunge londis,
That was so worthi preued off his hondis:
To shewe the chaung and mutabilite
Founde in Fortune and eueri comounte!
389
Thit was hif
cad; and
Tliemistode*
wat banished.
Such is the
change of
2160 Fortune!
npi
[Lenvoye.]
*HE stormy trust off eueri comounte, 2164 Sfh^'n^e''
JL Ther geri corages & troublid constaunce, ^" ^=^ '» '°
In this traeedie men mai beholde & see, T^ey a^
- T 1 T-' 1-1 forever wanting
iNow vp, now doun, as I'ortune cast hir chaunce. ^ a change of
For thei off custum ha[ue] ioie & most plesaunce,2i68 ''"'"*^
In ther desirs onstedfast and ontrewe,
To seen ech day a chaung off pryncis newe.
Corolian off Rome, a cheeff cite, [p. 171] ^'^^"of '*"'
Was ther protectour thoruh his myhti puissaunce: 2172 Rome, 'ras
_ •I'll • I • twice banished;
Venquisshid ther enmies, set hem m surte,
Brouht in rebellis to ther obeisaunce.
But thei ageynward, off wilful variaunce
Ban[y]shed hym twies, & no cause knewe, 2176
Sauff for to seen a chaung off pryncis newe.
The knyhtli noblesse, the magnanymyte.
The policie, the prudent gouernaunce
Off Meltiades, due off the cuntre, 2180
Wher that Athenys is cheeff toun in substaunce, —
Whan he ther comoun gan most to auaunce.
The mor onkyndli, in honour that thei grewe.
Most thei wer besi to chaunge hym for a newe. 2184
Miltiades, a
very great man,
was set aside for
another;
2153. that] om. J, R, H, P, H 5.
2165. Ther] the H — &] & ther H. 2166. this] his R.
2 17 1. Coriolan P.
2178. The first four words of 6tb stanza preceding are tcritUn
above ibis line H.
2180. the] that R. 2182. most] om. R.
2183. The] Ther R.
390
Themistocles,
the sovereign
knight of his
time, was exiled.
Xerxes, King of Persia
[bk. Ill
Nothing is
stable, and
especially the
tenure of
kings.
Noble Princes,
do not forget
this in your
prosperity.
Themystodes, hauyng the souereynte
Off knyhtis alle that bar spere or launce,
Duryng his tyme, — I tak no mor on me,
For comparisouws doon offte gret greuauwce, — 2188
Sexe hundred thousand he putte to vttraunce,
Onto Athenys neuer founde ontrewe;
Yit thei conspired his exil for a newe.
What thyng mai heer floure in feHcite, 219a
Or stonde stable be long contynuauwce
In hih estatis outher in low degre? —
Now flowe, now ebbe, now ioie, now myschauwce,
Afftir Fortune holdeth the ballaunce. 2196
And speciali, fals, feynyng and ontrewe,
Comouns desir a chaung off pryncis newe.
Noble Pryncis, in your prosperite,
On sodeyn chaungis set your remembrauwce, 2200
Fresshnesse off floures, off braunchis the beute
Haue ai on chauwg a tremblyng attendauwce,
In trust off comouws is no perseuerauwce:
As wynter [&] somer be dyuers off ther hewe, 2204
So be thei dyuers in chauwg off pryncis newe.
Next Xerxes
came before
Bochas,
weeping
piteously.
[Ho[w] xerses kyng of Perce, for his ravyne and
couetise was dismembrid in smale pecys.] ^
UN-TOFOR* Bochaj-, ful pitousli wepyng.
For to declare his dedli heuynesse.
Caw Xerses next, that was of Perse kyng, 2208
And gan compleyne his dool and his distresse.
Which in thre thynges, his stori berth witnesse,
And as the cronycle cleerli can vs telle.
All othir pryncis in erthe he dede excelle: 2213
S°s"ucrhfgh^** In hih estat was non so gret as he,
estate, so rich, Nouthcr in richcsse nor worldli habundauwce,
or of so great . ...
dignity.
Nor non that tyme off so gret dignite;
For as it is iput in remembrauwce.
He hadde al Perse vnder his obeisauwce,
Nor neuer prynce, as auctours do conclude,
Hosteied attonys with such a multitude.
2186. or3 & H. 2189. vttraunce] variauwce R.
2202. Haue ai]] havyng H.
2203 is repeated after 22CX) H. 2204. &] om. H.
2206. Un-tofor] And tofor B, R, J. P.
1 MS. J. leaf 70 verso.
3216
BK. Ill]
The Pride of Xerxes
391
Space off fyue yeer he made his ordenaunce,
Seuene hundred thousand peeple he dede reise;
Dempte off fals pride ageyn his gret puissaunce
Non ertheli power myhte countirpeise.
But sumwe auctours alowe hym nat nor preise,
Because that he, peeplis to encoumbre.
Set al his trust to conquere with gret nouwibre.
But manli pryncis han this opynyoun:
In multitude stondeth nat victorie;
For knyhtli prowesse off eueri champioun,
Which manli cast hem in armys to ha[ue] glorie,
Enprentid hath fix in his memorie,
Marcial tryumphes God ne doth nat shewe 2232
In noumbres grete no rather than in fewe.
This said[e] Xerses, be record ofF auctours.
Had also, in cronycles as I reede,
Thre hundred thousand straunge soudiours,
Withoutyn othir, that wern off Perse & Mede.
Which gan the erthe for to cure and sprede,
Dried ryuers wher thei dede atteyne,
KarfF doun hillis and made valis pleyne.
This was cheeff conceit ofF his fantasies.
To haue al erthe vnder subieccioun;
Thouhte his power rauhte aboue the skies,
OflF surquedie and fals presumpcioun:
For as he dempte in his opynyoun,
How in his poweer pleynli that it lai.
Fro God aboue the heuene to take awai.
«-,/,« Hi' army
2220 nunibered
700,000. He
thought no
earthly power
coold resist him.
2224
But manly
princes know
22 28 ^^^ victory
does not depend
on numbers.
Xerxes also
had 300,000
alien
mercenaries.
2236 His armies
covered the
earth and
levelled the hills
and plains.
2240
He desired to
have all the
worid subject
to him: he
even believed
that he could
2244 rob God of the
heavens; but
the Lord will
not suffer
tyrants to reign
long.
2246
But thilke Lord that can the meeke enhaunse.
And from ther sees the proude putte doun,
A[nd] namli them that ha[ue] no remembraunse
To aduertise off wisdam and resoun.
To knowe the Lord, most myhti off renoun, — 2252
The Lord off Lordis, which, pleynli to compile,
Will suffre tirantis to regne but a while.
And oon the merueile that euer I dede reede, [p. 172I ^"^^^^
J ir / J great bndge
urettest and vnkouth pleynli onto me, 2256 (1^™,^^^°
Is how Xerses, kyng off Perse and Mede,
For to shewe a special syngulerte,
2222. gret] fals R.
2236. straunge] strong H. 2250. And namli] Anamly R.
2251. aduertise] aduersit H. 2252. renoun] resoun R.
Europe —
392 Xerxes attacks Greece []bk. hi
Out off Asie, ouer the Grete Se,
As seith myn auctour, whom I dar alegge, 2260
Into Europe made a myhti bregge.
tome'nfen^''** Sum men patauMtet will therat disdeyne,
perhaps will not ^nd seyn it is a merueile nat credible;
believe — but ^-. ■!_, . .
things that Yit cratTt m cas to such thyng mai atteyne, 2264
seem impossible -r-rj, . . , . i . ., ,
can nevertheless Which bi nature scmeth an mpossible:
lishedr""''" And, as to me, it is a thyng odible,
Thynges tenpugne, awtentik and olde,
Which notable clerkis in ther daies tolde. 2268
?o'doubrthe'" These newe men that han but litil seyn,
words of Nouther expert in cralFt nor in nature,
notable scholars. „,,,^ 1111 11
For lak oir resouw holde al such thyng veyn,
Thouh that it be remembred in scripture. 2272
For eueri meruail and eueri auenture
Is* strauwge to hym, as I reherse can.
That lakketh the cause wherof the ground began.
^o"e"ioL'°oh'^ This said[e] Xerses hadde eek possessioun, 2276
Egypt and gg x)iit title ofF his fader Darie,
prepared to /-Nrr- i t-' • i •
make war on the Oil al Egipt, as maad IS mcnciouw;
Spartans, -r\ ^ • rr /^ 1
But thei oft Grece were to hym contrane:
Wherfor he caste no lenger for to tarie, 2280
This proude prynce, but myhtili werreie
Lacedemonoys, which wolde hym nat obeie.
DemTratus ^"^ oou that was callid Demaratus,
warned Which off that cuntre hadde aforn be kyng 2284
and supplied -i- i i • ii- i i
with information And was exilid, the stori tellith thus,
tablets beneath That tyme with Xerses in houshold abidyng,
a^smooth surface ^j^j^j^ loued that lond, fot al his cxilyug,
GafFthem warnyng, to saue hem fro myschaunce, 2288
OfF Xerses poweer and al his ordenaunce.
He wrot hem lettres grauen in a table,
All themprises* ofF Xerses, out ofF doute,
OfF al his stufF and peeple incomparable, 2292
And ofF his nouwbre and his gret[e] route.
2260. alegge3 wele legge H. 2261. a^ om. R, H.
2262. ther at parawntir wil H.
2265. an] OOT. R — impossible R. 2272. that] owt. R.
2274. Is] Is to B, J, R.
2284. afore hadde R. 2285. And] he H — thus] vs R.
2291. themprises] thenterprises B, R, J, H 5.
2292. Off] & H. 2293. 2nd and] & of H, R 3.
BK. Ill] Leonidas and the Six Hundred 393
The which[e] table curid was withoute
Ful* subtili with wex iplanyd pleyn,
That off his sonde ther was no lettre seyn. 2296
Thus was thentent off Xerses first discurid Sre^<Lptained
Onto the Grekis, and al his fel* werkyng. by Leonidas.
But in o thyng thei gretli wer assurid,
Off trust thei hadde hi expert knowlechyng 2300
In Leonidas, ther noble famous kyng,
Which among Grekis, off prowesse & forsiht,
Was in tho daies holde on the beste knyht.
Off cheualrie callid the lode-sterre, 2304 gjh^"
The sunt:e off knyhthod, that shon so briht & sheene.
The berere up, bothe in pes and werre.
And strengest piler his parti to meynteene,
The Grekis riht hand ther noblesse to susteene, 2308
Charboncle off armys, merour off policie,
And surest capteyn a feeld to reule & guie.
And as myn auctour remembreth in his book, Sioni^d^men
How in this cas he was nat rech[e]les, 2312 to Thermopyix,
But in al haste foure thousand men he took.
To lette the weies and comyng off Xerses.
And bi an hill callid Termophiles,
Wher Persiens began first ther viage, 2316
He knyhtli caste to stoppe ther* passage.
And secreli espieng the comyng L^"nIrS°of
Off kyng Xerses with strong apparaile, ^^^ strongest.
He, lik a knyht, made no tarieng, 2320
Ches out sexe hundred, armed in plate & maile.
Which in such cas myhte most auaile,
And in diffence and helpe off ther cuntre
Wolde rather deie than from the feeld to fle. 2324
And couertli thei took[e] ther loggyng, 17^y" t^a^
And kept hem cloos, till it drouh to nyht. Wo'rJX"'^*'
And at ther dyner themsilff refresshyng, battle,
So as thei sat, in steel armed briht, 2328
The kyng abraide lik a manli knyht,
2294. curid] coverid H.
2295. Ful] For B — pleyned R. 2298. fel] fals B, J, R.
2303. Was hoolde in tho daies R.
2310. surest] fairest H.
2313. al] al J)e H. 2316. viage] visage R.
2317. ther] the B, H.
394 Leonidas* Address to his Officers [|bk. hi
Into the feeld aforn the! shulde gon,
Riht thus he salde among hem euerichon:
Skito^d"' "Sires,;' quod he, "now dyneth meriU, 233a
*aYe'd°to su ''It ^^^ with good wyn aiForceth your corage,
night with the Lik goodc knyhtis in purpos fynaH,
gods of the -^ f.„ .-^ - ^ ^ ^ ' .
nether world, 1* or litt nor deth nat turnyng your visage,
But off assent, cast in your passage, 2336
As ye heer dyne now in especiall,
To suppe at nyht with goddis infernall.
whfc'feir'^''This is to meene, ye shul your HfF iuparte, [p. 173]
As hardi knyhtis, proudli to prouide 2340
Withynwe the feeld assonder nat departe,
But keep you cloos, & for no dreed deuide.
Desir off worshepe make to be your guide.
Your expert noblesse eternali tauauwce 2344
Be quyk report off newe remembraunce.
yoJrtmfi And hath this dai nothyng in memori[e],
hope and good Nouthet your richessc, your blood nor your kenreede,
trust 01 victory. ^ fr. ■,. -, ,, ~,..
SauiT onli hope and good trust ofr victorie, 2348
And hardi prowesse you to conducte and leede.
And thynkith knyhtli what shal be yowr meede,
With marcial palmys your renoun & your name
In the hiest place set in the Hous off Fame. 2352
arlbu"t^few°n And thouh ye been but a fewe in nouwbre,
number, L^^ J^ your hertis o thyng be fantasied :
remember that ., , . 11
so long as you Whil dyuysioun doth you nat encouwbre,
stand united you _,. . . . , , ,
are invincible." Victone m armys mai you nat be denyed; 2356
For nothyng is to conquest mor applied
Than trewe accord among your-silfF to shewe,
Thouh ye in nouwbre be [founde] but a fewe."
S°eTe^ words^'' By* this couwseil syngulerli notable, 2360
they fell on the And be this kynges knyhtli* good language,
Persians in their r j i i j l M * l i
tents at eve, 1 hci teconiorted heeld themsiluen* able
Ageyn ther fomen to holden ther passage.
And first off all, off hertli proud corage, 2364
2339. is]om. H.
2342. you] om. R — you cloos] to gedir H.
2347. nor] ne R. 2349. conduct] conduyt H.
2359. founde] om. R, J — a] om. J.
2360. By] But B, But bi R, J.
2361. kynges knyhtli] knyhtis kyngli B, R, J.
2362. themsiluen] themsilfF B.
BK. IIl3
Xerxes is defeated and flees
395
The Perciens mor mortali to greue,
Withynne ther tends thei fill on hem at eue.
Thel off Perce idrownyd were with wyn;
This to seyen,* thoruh ther gret excesse
Thei lai and slepte lik as dronke sw>'n,
Ther wach nat kept: loo, how that dronkenesse
Causeth offte, off verrai reklesnesse,
Ful many a man, that wil nat take keep,
For to be moordred anyhtis in ther sleep.
And as this kyng dede his knyhtis leede,
The Percien tentis assailyng sodenli,
Or thei wer war or token any heede,
Them for taffraie thei made an hidous cri.
Diffence was noon vpon ther parti;
For men mai knowe hi olde experience,
In folkis dronke mai be no resistence.
Out off noumbre thei slowen off ther foon.
And cesed nat off al the longe nyht.
Till on the morwe that the sunne shoon,
That to beholde it was an ougli siht.
And proude Xerses put anon to fliht —
Euer the laste that wolde his foon assaile.
And ay the firste that fledde in bataile !
In his fliht so faste awei he ran,
For theryn was hooli al his trust ! —
And off gret trauaile anon this Xerses gan
Off coward dreed to han so gret a thrust.
So drie he was, off salt sond and off dust.
And bi the weie serchyng ferr nor neer,
He nouther fond welle nor reuer.
when, drowned
in wine, they lay
■^ sleeping.
23;
With a hideous
cry they nishei
2376
2380
and (lew
without ceasing
all the lo2«
night.
2384
2388
Proud Xents
fled as fast as he
could, and.
overcome by
thirst,
2392
Off auenture a meri ground he fond.
The water trouble and bloodi off colour;
And Xerses ther drank water with his bond,
Hym to refresshe in his dedli labour.
And, as he thouhte, he neuer drank licour
To hym mor holsom, so streiht[e] stood the caas, 2400
Confect with spices, pyment nor ypocras.
drank blood-
stained water
2'?o6 ^""J* • marsh.
2368. t>is is H — se>Tie B. 2370. Ther] The R.
2385. proude] om. H — to] to the H.
2393. nor] or H, and P, R 3. 2394. nor] ne H, R 3.
2395. meri] myr>- H, R 3, mir\^ P, mer>- J, R, H. 5.
2401. nor] or H.
396
Xerxes proposes to rob the Temples
[bk.
Ill
This was his
first defeat,
from which men
may see that
Fortune has no
respect for the
great possessions
and might of
princes who
refuse to know
God.
With new
presumption
Xerxes proposed
to rob the
temples of the
gods,
This was the firste myscheefF and the dreed
In which that Xerses, the myhti prynce, stood.
Heer men mai see, such as list take heed, 2404
How geri Fortune, furious and wood,
Wil nat spare, for richesse nor for good,
Mihti pryncis, which Hst nat God to knowe,
From ther estatis to brynge hem doun ful lowe. 2408
^ O hatful serpent of hih presumpciouw,
Ay onstauwchable with gredi vsurpyng,
Be newe trouble, off fals sediciouw,
Which list off pride receyue no warnyng: 2412
For now Xerses, off Perse & Mede kyng,
Purposid hath with odious apparaile
The temple off goddis contagiousli tassaile.
For as hym thouhte, it myhte nat suffise, 2416
To gret exauwple off his outraious pride.
How heer-toforn God dede hym chastise
Bi manys hand, to sette his pompe a-side.
But now olF newe he gan ageyn prouide,
Bi sacrilege his myhti hand to dresse.
To spoile Appollo and reue hym his richesse
Ther was in Delos a temple thilk[e] dai.
Most statli bilt and set up be masouws,
Gret ymages, reliques, riche arai
OflF gold and stonys in sundri mansiouws;
And ther Appollo to sundri questiouns
GafF redi answere, the stori tellith thus, 2428
And he was callid Appollo Delphicus.
Four^ thousand men Xerses thedir sente,
Deiian Apollo, gj ^Jg auys chose out fot the nonys,
Ful clenli armed; & as thei thedir wente 2432
To spoile the temple off gold and riche stonys,
With sodeyn leuene thei wer brent, flessh & bonys.
With tempest, thunder, hail & hidous reyn
Consumpt echon and neuer afFtir seyn. 2436
i^"hif'ndlAa°iL°nThe grctc Appollo, which shyneth briht in heuene,
consumed ^hem Hadde ofF this Xcrscs gret indignacioun,
Which made his peeple be consumpt with leuene,
and sent four
thousand men
2420
[p. I74I
2424
to pillage the
shrine of the
2406. nof\ ne R. 2408. to] om. H.
2417. outraious] contrarious R.
2428. answers R. 2434. thei] the R.
2435. tempest] om. H. 2439. be] to be H.
BK. IIl3
Xerxes' Defeat at Salamis
397
In cruel punshyng off his presumpcioun.
Yit he purposed, to his confusioun,
Sithe on the lond he nothyng myhte wynwe,
Vpon the se a werre to begynne.
Gan to make so gret an ordenaunce,
That his naueie couered al the se:
Yit Neptunus thouhte hym nat tenhaunce,
Withynne his* boundis to ha[ue] no liberte;
For Themystodes with a smal meyne,
Beside a cite callid Salamyne,
Hym & his shippis brouhte onto ruyne.
Yit, as I fynde, this proude kyng Xerses
Hadde on his parti Themydora, the queene
Off Halcamois, which put hirselff in pres,
Armed in platis that shon ful briht and sheene.
And thenarme off Xerses to susteene,
This womman fauht[e] lik a fell woluesse,
And many Greek that dai she dede oppresse.
It was a straunge merueil for to heere.
To seen a woman so sturdi off visage;
Yit men expert aldai may seen and lere,
Thei be bi nature ful cruel off corage.
And no cowardis fouwde off ther language.
Sett at assai, and thanne it shal be scene,
Wher thei be feerful ther quarel to susteene !
Thei mai off meeknesse shewe a fair pretense, —
Sum serpent is off colour siluer sheene,
And sumwe floures, ful fressh off apparense,
Growe on thistles rouh[e], sharp and keene.
And sumwe that been angelic to scene.
And verai heuenli, with ther golden tressis.
Been at a preeff[e] verrai leonessis.
To seyn the sothe, a poore man mai be shent, —
I dar no mor[e] speke off this mateere. . . .
But kyng Xerses, for al his proude entent,
Al his naueie and his peeple ifeere
Wer put to fliht & outraied off ther cheere.
2440
Xeries neit
444 began a war oa
the sea, but his
ships were
scattered by
Themistoclei
at Salamis,
2448
2452
although he was
aided by the
queen of
Halicamassus,
who fought like
a she-wolf.
2456
2460
It was a strange
thing: yet every
day men may
sec that women
are no
cowards, — at
least, of their
words.
2464
Some serpents
gleam like
silver, bright
flowers grow oa
thistles, and
some women
2468 who look like
angels are on
occasion
veritable
lionesses.
But as a poor
■T''' man may be
ruined for tell-
ing the truth,
I '11 say no more.
King Xenes
himself was
badly wounded,
2476
2445. naueie] name R.
2447. his] hir B, H, J, hyr H 5, her R. 2448. Themistocles P.
2455. And thenarme] The armey P.
2461. Thei be bi] Thai beenif of H, \tt\ be of R 3.
2462. off] at H. 2464. quarellis H.
398
Xerxes again defeated by the Greeks [|bk. ill
but again he
Bummoned his
forces against
the Greeks.
Ther shippis drownyd among the wawes rude,
That non abod off al that multitude.
Kyng Xerses hurt and wouwdid mortali,
Onnethe he myhte the grete peyne endure;
His quakyng herte quit hym so cowardli, —
On se and lond such was his auenture.
And yit ageyn his damages to recure,
Thre hundred thousand off fihteres he gan call,
Vpon Grekis off newe for to fall'.
A myhti due callid Mardonyus
Was capteyn maad his peeple for to leede;
But Themystodes, myn auctour tellith thus,
Knowyng ofF Xerses the cowardise & dreede,
A lettre made for to be sent in deede,
Enfourmyng hym, bi Grekis gret outrage
How off his bregge was broken the passage.
Off which[e] merueil whan ther cam tidyng
To kyng Xerses, he afftir anon riht,
As he that was aferd[e] off ech thyng,
Ful lik a coward took hym to the fliht.
Fledde in a boot, lik a coward knyht.
Off al his peeple ther wer no mo iseyn
Tawaite vpon hym, sauff a chauwberleyn.
Al his peeple departed heer and yonder,
Stondyng in myscheeff and gret indigence;
To many a coost thei wente and rood asonder,
Pyned with hunger, lakked ther dispence,
Punshed also with onwar pestilence.
Feeble off trauaile myhte nat endure
For impotence to karien ther armure.
Si'of°dta<r''' Alas ech wai[e] lai ful off careynes; [p.
It^iVd with*°'' '^^^ ^^^^ yi\t\\ blood [e] steyned & the greene;
blood and the air The hair terrible off pathes & off pleynes,
polluted. „, 1 J •
Ravenous fowls 1 hat no man myhte endure it nor susteene,
fed upon the /Tpi j • i i
corpses. 1 he sauout was so odious and oncieene.
2480
2484
Themistocles,
knowing what
a coward he
was, informed
him that hie
bridge was
broken,
and Xerxes fled
in a boat with
one servant,
his army
dispersed and
dying of
privations.
2492
2496
2500
2504
175]
2508
2485. ofT] om. R. 2488. thus] vs R. 2490. be] om. H.
2498. wer] was H. 2499. sauflF] but H.
2502. rode & went R. 2503. payned H.
2508. steyned] soiled H.
2510. That no man myht] l>at men myht nat H — myht
endure it] mytht it endure R.
25 1 1. The] ther H — sauour] fauour R — and] & so R.
BK.
Ill]
Xerxes slain by Artabanus
Raueynous foulis, ful homli in ther siht, 2512
ThemsilflF to feede vpon the corps aliht.
Thre hundred thousand off Pifrclens wer slayn,
Which Mardonyus afom ful proudli ladde.
OfF which[e] tidyng kyng Xerses was nat fayn, 2516
But for distresse and sorwe gan to madde.
An[d] oon the laste myscheefF that he hadde,
Was whan Thymon, a noble Grekissh knyht,
Xerses disconfited & put his men to fliht. 2520
This Thymon was sone to Meltiades,
His fadir whilom off Athenes kyng,
Which last off all outraied hath Xerses, —
Sauff off his eende ther fill a-nother thyng: 2324
Artabanus, ful sleihti in werkyng,
Which to Xerses was nat suspect in deede,
Compassid his deth, in Bochas as I reede.
This Artaban was prouost off his hous 2528
And an officer most especial, —
With his seuene sonys strong & despitous,
Vpon a nyht furious and fatal,
Fill vpon Xerses in his paleis roial. ' 2532
And in his stori as it is remembrid.
On pecis smale thei ban hym al dismembrid.
This was off Xerses the laste fynal meede,
OfF his hih pride the funeral guerdoun; 2536
From his too kyngdamys off Perse & [eek] Mede
Froward Fortune hath hym plukked doun.
What mai auaile the dominacioun
Off such pryncis as holde hemseluen evene 2540
For to been egal with goddis hih in hevene ?
Men list nat knowe such chaunges for no preeff,
A[nd] namli pryncis in ther gret puissaunces:
Geyn ertheli pereiles & al worldli myscheeff 2544
Thei can prouide hem & set* ordynaunces,
As thei that dreede Fortunis variaunces;
But to Godward thei take litil heede.
For the gret richesse which thei do possede. 2548
2513. aliht] Hhte H. 2517. to] forto R.
2519. Cymon P — grekis R. 2521. Cymon P.
2523. hath] om. R. 2529. speciall H.
2537. eek] om. J, R 3, eke of P, eek of H 5.
2543. And] A R — gret] om. R, J.
2545. set] settyn B. 2548. richesse] myscheff H.
399
Three hundred
thousand
Persians were
slain.
and Timon, son
of Miltiades,
completed their
discomfiture.
Not long after,
Artabanus and
bis seven sons
fell upon Xenes
in his palace and
slew him.
Thus ends the
lordship of
prince* who
consider them-
selves equal to
the gods in
heaven.
They take little
heed to God,
although careful
enough to guard
themselves
against worldly
mischance.
400 The Vulgar Materialism of Men [byl. hi
if ItTarth" YifF thei mai heren off an erthe-quaue
and*^! a^^^ ^^*'' Tofom it fallc, OF any tokne see,
Than will thei gon anon themsilfF to saue
Out off ther houses, & from ther toun[e]s flee, 2552
To putte ther liff the mor in surete,
List ther beeldyng, maad off gret costage,
Fill vpon hem in that mortal rage.
fheTwm puT'' Or yiff an hors ronwe out off his stable, 2556
pidioTk'^bu? Breke his coleer thikke, double & long,
small care do Men wiU otdeyne a lok off iren able
they take of _, , , • i i
their own souls, lo keepe hym m, be he neuer so strong.
And thus men can redressyn eueri wrong 2560
Touchyng the bodi, bi gret avisynesse;
Sauff for the soule thei will nothyng redresse.
oie^rifowYits Whau a ryuer passeth ferr his boundis,
banks they BoiUth vpwatd, fvut no resistcuce, 2«;64
endeavour to iii/i •
change its Wynweth land & ouerfloweth grouwdis,
Drowneth toun[e]s with his violence, —
Yit men will trauaile to fynden a diffence;
To turne his cours sum weie shal be souht, 2568
But toward God men thynke lite or nouht.
fiCfes^they use Agcyn siknesse men seeke medicynes,
all manner of Letuarics and dyucrs pociouns,
medicmes, but . -' ,. -. .,
to God they look Serchc m phcsik sundri disci plynes 2572
for no remedy, rr-ii i* • i •
1 hem to diete in ther transgressiouws,
Restoratyves and eek confecciouns.
But onto Godward, in this present liff.
Men nat trauaile for no confortatiff. 2576
Tnderg^''the Men thet bodies will putten in distresse
utmost fatigue
and hardship to
win treasure ant
put their lives
in peril for
tranfi\ory,^ "'^ And nouthct Spare for gold nor for dispence
To vndirfonge pereilles* off veynglorie,
Onli for thynges that be transitorie.
unknow^n^seas Thci passc mounteyns & many hidous roche, 2584
and fighting Jjj hope it sholdc to thct euteut auaile,
many a battle; *^ '
1 o many mortal monstre thei approche,
2549. an^ one R. 2550. toknes H. 2552. housen H.
2562. redresse^ dresse H.
2575. this] his R. 2581. 2nd for] om. H.
2582. pereilles] peynes B.
^^^°^^ j"'K"e Off fals desir and coueitous feruence,
and hardship to -^ ,. • • . ,
win treasure and Onli tactoche and wynnc gret nchesse,
in peril for Suffre cold, labour and violence, 2580
BK. Ill]
An Envoy on the Fall of Xerxes
401
And be many vnkouth se thei saile,
luparte ther lifF in werre and in bataile,
Be many daunger & many streiht thei ride
For worldli tresour, wJiich shal no while abide.
But toward goodis that be perdurable, [p.
Ful lite or nouht ther hertis thei enclyne;
Nor to the heuenli cuntre most notable,
Thei wil nat lefFt up nouther hed nor chyne, —
Toward the speeris off Phebus & Lucyne,
Castyng ther stremys to vs fro so ferr<f.
Which to considre all worldli men doon err^.
What myhte auaile the grete couetise
Off kyng Xerses in [his] estaat roial ?
2>88
1 76] ''"^ towards
eternal pos-
2592 sessions they
never look.
2596
Of what avail
was the
ambition of
Or the gret peeple, which ye han herd deuise, — 2600 didThfs' million
Ten hundred thousand; — the peeple was nat smal. rompfish?
But, for al that, he hadde an hidous fal,
Whan that he was, as is tofom remembrid.
On pecis smale pitousli dismembrid.
2604
^ Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie put vs in remewbraunce
OfF thonsekir flatryng & blyndnesse
Bothe off Fortune & off hir variaunce.
And off hir ougli froward doubilnesse,
In Xerses shewed, for al his gret richesse, —
To vs declaryng, pleynli in figure,
A raueynous prynce mai no while endure.
Kyng Xerses hadde vnder his obeisaunce
Al Perse & Mede, the stori berth witnesse;
Thouhte al erthe to litil in substau7:ce
To staunche the etik ofF his gredynesse,
A frett off hauyng put hym in such distresse.
Whos fyn declarid, bi record off scripture,
A raueynous prynce mai no while endure.
He made also an odious ordenauwce,
Off surquedie his poweer for to dresse,
To robbe the goddis, maugre ther puissaunce.
And spoile ther templis, off froward wilfulnesse.
2608
This tragedy-
brings before
our minds the
blindness and
fickleness of
Fortune, as
shewn to
Xenes, for all
his great
riches.
2612 ^"^ thought the
whole world too
small for him
to possess.
2616
and in his pride
he attempted to
2620 rob the temples
of the gods;
2593. cuntre] company R. 2596. fro] frome H — so] om. R.
2600. ye] om. R. 2603. is] om. R. 2609. grete] om. R.
2621. the] ther R.
402 The End of Artahanus, Xerxes' Murderer [^bk. hi
Take ther tresours ageyn al rihtwisnesse.
But thei hym shewed, off sodeyn auenture, 2624
A raueynous prynce mai no while endure.
but great Apollo Gretc ApDollo took on his men veneauwce
took vengeance, ,^7.. , '^ "^ r i 1 1
and God will With onwat tempcst, tor al ther sturdynesse,
not suffer such t 111111 1
men to last long. -Leuene and thunder brouht hem to myschauwce, 2628
Guerdoun most hable ageyn ther gret falsnesse, —
In pryncis hertis, pleynli to expresse.
Who be raueyne richessis will recure,
God wil nat sufFre hym longe to endure. 2632
Noble Princes, Noble Pryncis, stable in your constauwce,
think often of _.. ;^ . ' i . .
the fall of proud Ye that dcsite to stonde m sekirnesse,
robbery^ and' Remembrcth ofFte vpon the fatal chaunce
shaiT'endure"" Off pfoudc Xerscs and his cursidnesse, 2636
Your-silff disposyng in your hih noblesse,
Yiff that ye list your statis to assure,
Escheweth raueyne & ye shal longe endure!
[How Artabanus moordred kyng xerses and how
aftir himsilf was moordred.] ^
Bochas would ^^TEXT thcse tragedies, wepyng & dolerous, 2640
have put aside ' ^ i '^ i ^ o
N
his pen, had JL ^ Whil Boch<g;j- stynte, & wolde ha been in pes,
the murderer of A knyht appered callid Artabanus,
^p"fred before Which hadde aforn[e] moordred kyng Xerses;
*''™- And gan his compleynt for to putte in pres, 2644
Ful concludyng, to speke in wordes pleyn.
Who vseth moordre, bi moordre he shal be slayn.
Artabanu., fhis Artabanus, be record off writyng,
Xerxes provost, ^. . -^^ • ., t j
With Xerses prouost whilom, as 1 reede, 2648
Falsli conspired be sleihte off his werkyng,
For to be kyng bothe off Perse & Mede,
Hauyng seuene sonys, which that wer in deede
Worthi knyhtis, manli and riht strong, 2653
Al-be ther fader was set to do gret wrong.
presumed to por hc presumcd bl vsurpacioun,
of Persia! and"^ In Pcrse and Mede to quench the cleer[e] liht,
dlaTh''^''""' And trouble the lyne off iust successiouw: 2656
2629. hable] om. H — ageyn] geyn J, gein P.
2631. richesse R. 2636. his] of his R.
2640. dolorous H.
2641. Whil] Whan R.
^ MS. J. leaf 73 recto.
BK, III] The Treason of Artabanus 403
For so as he off force and nat off riht,
Nothyng rasemblyng to a trewe knyht,
The moordre off Xerses falsli dede ordeyne,
Riht so he caste to moordre his sonys tweyne. 2660
And to conclude pleynli and nat tarie, »<?,'j«^': ^°
ry-., "irii 1 11 -1 ■\r kill his two sons,
The said[e] kyng that callid was Xerses, Darius and
Hadde too sonys, the yongest callid Dane,
And the tother named Artaxerses, 2664
Which, as the stori reherseth dout[e]les,
Wer be discent bor[e]n for to succeede,
Afftir ther fader to regne in Perse & Mede.
The moordre off Xerses outward was nat knowe, 2668 Hetoid Arta-
Nor how Artabanus hadde the tresoun wrouht, Darius had set
nnMi rr • i • i i" "i i h'* niind on
1 111 aittirward withynne a litii throwe occupying the
He hadde off newe forged out & souht ^^^
Fals odious treynes that wer neuer thouht: 2672
Tolde Artaxerses, as he gan with hym rowne.
How Darie caste to ocupie the crowne,
And how the deth ofF Xerses was ordeyned [p. 177] and that he
„,,,_. , , , . ., ■' '■^ ' '^ had been the
Unli be Dane and be noon othir wiht. 2676 cause of his
1-171 1 • 1 1 1 1 J father's death
Wherupon, which auhte be compleyned, and was also
Artaxerses prouyded anon riht his^di^w.'''^
The slauhtre off Darie; & so, ageyn al riht.
This yonger brother in his innocence 2680
Was falsli slayn, and dede non offence.
Ye wete, be whom this tresoun was compassid, As a result,
Twen brethre tweyne to make dyuysioun, slain in his
The yonger slayn, & nothyng hath* trespasid, 2684 '°°'^"^"-
Most redi were to the destruccioun
OfF Artaxerses; for in conclusioun,
Whan the brethre moordred wer in deede,
Artabanus thouhte to succeede. 2688
But Artaxerses, be pleyn instruccioun Artaxenes
r\cc 1 11- 1 * T-. r-i was informed of
Uit oon that calhd was* i3accar[ijus, Artabanus'
Be toknys kneuh the couert fals tresoun
treason.
2668. Xerse H. 2672. neuirr wer R. 2673. Artaxarses H.
2677. auhte] ouht to H. 2680. yonger] yonge R.
2682. wite R, wote H.
2684. vonger] younger brothir R — hath nothyng B — hath]
had R.
2688. for to H.
2690. was callid B, R — Baccaryus H 5, Baccabassus P.
2691. kneuh] know R.
404
Darius plots Artahanus* Death
[bk. Ill,
and sought to
bring him to
reckoning.
But as he was
not powerful
enough to do
this alone,
armed to his
court. No one
knew his
purpose.
Off this forsaid double Artabanus, 2692
And how that he be treynes outraious
Hadde Xerses slayn, as ye han herd toforn,
And Darie appechid, wherbl that he was lorn.
But off this vnkouth straunge tresouw wrouht, 2696
Whan Artaxerses hadde knowlechyng,
Bi gret auys weies he hath souht,
Artabanus to brynge to rek[e]nyng.
But speciaH he dradde hym off o thyng: 2700
He feeble was to brynge this thyng aboute,
Off his seuene sonys he stood in so gret doute.
he commanded But fot tacomplisshc fulH his entent
all the worthies •,-^ i i* i • i • i
of Persia to come l<ul secteii, this was his ordeuaunce: 2704
To all the worthi he hath his lettres sent,
Duellyng in Perse vnder his obeisaunce,
Withoute excus or lenger attendaunce,
Armed echon, and in especial 2708
To come in haste onto his court roial.
Cause off ther komyng was to hew nat knowe,
The kynges purpos was holden so secre
And kept so cloos, bothe from hih & lowe, 2712
That to his menyng no man was pryve,
Except the kyng saide he wolde see
What noumbre off men, yiff it cam to neede,
In his diffence he myht[e] gadre* and leede. 2716
Among others, And among Other cam Artabanus
Artabanus ^^ , ^ . .. ^ - .,
came, armed Unto the court, and list nat tor to raile, —
only in mail. » ^v. ^ 1 j •
A man that was cruel and coraious,
Ful off sleihtis in al his gouernaile, 2720
Which thilke tyme armyd was in maile;
For he with hym'non other armour ladde,
Sauff on his bak an haberiouw he hadde.
To him Thann<f Artaxerses, beyng in his strengthe, 2724
Artaxeries said, rr< i i • i rr r i rr
"My coat of lo hym abraide ort rals aiteccioun:
rshouid°1ike°to' "For that my maile wantith off his lengthe,
habergTOns with I wolde with the chauwge myn haberiouw."
you." 'pj^g tother hauyng noon euel suspecciouw, 2728
Ongirt hymsilff[e], wolde no lenger bide,
Bothe suerd & dagger cast hem ferr a-side.
2702. stood in^ hadde R, J, had P.
2711. so] om. R. 2712. frome both H. 2716. gadrede B.
2717. And] om. R. 2724. beyng] kyng R — his] om. H.
BK.
Ill]
Artabanus slain by Darius
40s
And whil that he threuh off his haberioun,
And with the maile stoppid was his siht, 2732
He beyng naked, for short conclusioun,
The kyng out pulHth a siierd[e] keene & briht;
And thoruh the herte he roofF hym anon riht.
And alFtir that, off indignacioun 2736
Took his seuene sonys & cast hem in prisoun.
Off ther eende what sholde I mor endite.
Nor off ther deth make a digressioun?
God mai his vengaunce a while weel respite, 2740
But moordre will out, & al such fals tresoun.
And for Artaban hadde a condicioun,
Falsli to moordre, as ye tofom ha[ue] seyn,
With onwar moordre he guerdonyd was ageyn. 2744
Thus euer moordre requereth for his wages
Sclaundre inportable, odious for to heere, —
A woord diffamous, most foul in al languages,
The soun horrible bi report to appeere, 2748
A clips duryng, whos dirknesse may nat cleere;
For this woord moordre, most ougli & onfair,
Bi a rehersyng infectith al the hair.
And as
Artabanus drevr
his habergeon
off over his
head,Artaierxes
stabbed him to
the heart with
his sword.
Thus murder is
punished with
murder,
and there is no
word more foul
in any language;
its s(>oken sound
infects all the
[Off duk Palantus, and Spartenois werred them of
Missene for rauysshing theire maidenes.] ^
AFFTIR the deth[e] and [the] fatal cas
And pitous moordre off Artabanus,
Next in ordre appered to Bochas
A myhti due, callid Palantus,
Sone off a knyht Inamed Arathus.
Which was exiled, thouh he no tresoun mente.
Out off his cite, that callid was Tarente.
Vpon his exil he sore gan compleyne, [p.
Besechyng Bochas to getyn hym a space
Withynne his book, to write his greuous peyne,
Al-be that he whilom stood in grace
2752
Next in order
appeared
Phalanthus, son
of Aracus, who
was exiled from
Tarentum.
2756
I78I Fortune raised
him from a poor
2760 knight to the
estate of duke
2732. his] J>e H. 2734. puUith] plukkith H.
2738. OfTjAndofH. 2739. a] om. H. 2740. weel]ofn. R.
2741. fals] om. R. 2746. Importable H — for] om. H.
2752. the] om, H, R, J, R 3, H i, H 5, H 4, H 3, R 2, Sloane;
Add. has the.
2755. Phalantus P. 2756. Inamed] named R — Aratus P.
2758. Tharente H.
^ MS. J leaf 73 verso.
4o6 The Spartans and Messenians [^bk. hi
Be glad aspectis off Fortunys face;
For she hym reised be fauour off hir myht 2764
To dukis estat from a ful poore knyht.
at the time But ceriousll this mater to conveie,
when the yj . irniio
Spartans made How he was maad[ej duk & gouernour,
Me'^Bsenians, who Whan Spartcyws gan mortali werreie 2768
thei/maidens Geyn Messetiiens, as seith myn auctour,
feSffestivai With gret costage and deligent labour.
And cause was this; for thei with myhti bond
Rauesshid be force all maidenys off that lond. 2772
For this peeple, now named Spartenoys,
As the stori cleerli can deuise,
Wer callid aforn[e] Lacedemonoys,
In armis preued, manli and riht wise. 2776
And whil thei dede a solempne sacrefise
Onto ther goddis, the peeple off Messenye
Rauesshid ther maidenys, or thei it koude espie.
So the Spartans On which[e] wtong for to do vengauwce, 2780
laid siege to t^, p • i i • i- •
Messeniaand 1 he bpattenois kauhte mdignaciouw;
depairt untiuhe And off assent, with al ther hool puissauwce,
Thei leide a siege round aboute the toun.
And off o will and oon affecciouw 2784
Thei made a vow* the siege whan thei begunwe,
Neuer to departe til the tou« wer wonwe.
[[H]ow Spartenois lay ten yere atte sege and how
their wjrves displesid wft/i their longe absence
sent hem a message vt infra.] ^
They lay before Afor the touw fulli ten yeer thei lai,
untu their wives And fro the sicgc, as thei hadde maad ther oth, 2788
impat^nt^aT^ Thci nat departed nouther nyht nor dai,
Ind'sentT* But stille abood and nat assonder goth.
Sem*^that"they '^^^'^^^ ^^^'^ wyues beyng at hom wer wroth;
were tired of fo thcT husbondis a massager thei sente, 2792
Vnder these woordis declaryng ther entente.
2764. off] in H. 2765. fill] om. R, J.
2775. toforn^^ H.
2785. a vow] avow B.
2787. AfFornif H. 2789. nor] ne H.
1 MS. J. leaf 73 verso, inner margin.
tows was won.
BK. Ill]
Dukr Pbalantbus and his Spartans
407
2808 ^°f ^ert is little
security where
nature afforces
frailty.
2812
Saide it was nat accordyng with resoun,
Thei lik widwes to lyue disconsolat,
Withoute confort or consolacioun, 2796
Ferr from ther husbondis to stonde al desolat,
Mj^scheuys considred, that fall in ech estat
Be long absence, which ech man sholde dreede,
Thoruh duyers siknesse that fall in womanheede.2800
"The tid abit nat for no maner man, and that if their
_ _ , . _ husbands didn t
Nor stynt his cours tor no creature; look out, they
» , 1 1 ■ • 1 might find that
And hard it is, as we reherse can, others had
Thyng to withstonde that kom[e]th ofF nature. 2804 ptaS;^'"
Harm doon be kynde is froward to recure;
And ther is founde ful litil sekimesse,
Wher-as nature afForceth brotilnesse.
This litil sonde auhte inouh suffise.
To declare damage that mai fall
Be long absence, folkis that be wise,
Suwtyme departed, ageyn men may nat call;
That seelde is seyn, in loue doth appall;
And nothyng mor maketh wyues erre,
Than disseueraunce off folk that be in werre."
This was thefFect, pleynli in substaunce,
Sent to ther husbondis, which at the siege lai,
Compleynyng thei hadde had no plesauwce
Space off ten yeer, as in louys plai;
But desolat, in sorwe and gret affrai.
Ther lifF thei ladde, afFermyng in sentence.
Cause off ther constreynt was ther long absence.
And whan the lettres wer at the siege rad
Tofom the cite in al ther mortal stryues,
Thei wer astonyd and gan to wexe sad.
And verrai weri almost off ther lyues,
For to considre the compleynt off ther wyues.
Till ther capteyn a* remedie out souht,
Be whos cou^sail euene thus thei wrouht:
First olde knyhtis that hadde the siege sworn
It for tacomplisshe, and cast hem to be trewe.
His courzsail was, as thei hadde hiht beforn.
To holde ther promys & therofF nothyng rewe;
But yonge knyhtis, that wer come off newe,
folkis R.
2816
2820
^"hen the mes-
sage was read
at the siege,
there was great
2024 conitemation,
2828 "^^ Phalanthus
suggested that
the old knights
should keep
their vow and
remain, but
that the
younger ones
2832 could return
home if they
wished.
2797. al] om. R. 2812.
2816. the] om. R, H.
2821. ist ther] om. R.
seldom P. 2814.
2818. Spaces R.
2827. a] and B.
4o8
The Parthenia and their Troubles
[bk. Ill
Mihte as thei list[e], freli at ther will,
Chese wher thei wolde go or bide still.
And heerupon for ther most auail, 2836
In haste ther capteyn, as maad is remewbraunce.
Off hih prudence gafF hem this counsail:
That knyhtis olde, lich ther assurauwce,
Sholde off the siege haue the gouernaunce, 2840
And yonge knyhtis, most fressh & weel beseyn,
Sholde from the siege hom be sent ageyn.
Thei made among htm a ful strauwge
ordenauMce [p. 179]
At ther hom comjmg: withoute difference 2844
To entirchauwge ther wuyes for plesaunce,
And take hir first that cam to ther presence.
This was thaccord among hem in sentence,
Most redi weie, to ther opynyoun, 2848
To engendrure and procreacioun.
Ther was among hem quarel nouther striff
In this mateer, nor no variauwce;
For eueri man mysused othres wiff 2852
To ther desirs as was to hem plesaunce.
And thus childre thoruh this ordenauwce
That wer engendrid, the cas is thus befall,
Parthenois men dede hem afftir call. 2856
Which in our tuwge, to speke in woordes pleyne,
Afftir the Greek, who list considre and see.
Is no mor[e], platli for to seyne.
Than thilke childre which engendrid be 2860
In auoutrie: wherfor, in that cuwtre,
Parthenois off custum thei wer namyd,
Born off wombes which that wer diffamyd.
The result was, The fals occasiouM off this auoutrie 2864
f jusrdaTm^?o Caused afftir gret myscheeff & damage,
his inheritance, Xhat no man koude, as for his partie,
Be successiouM, whan he cam to age,
Be title off riht cleyme his heritage; 2868
For wher a lyne falsli doth proceede,
Hard is to knowe be riht who shal succeede.
This they did;
and when they
reached home
they decided
to exchange
wives and each
to take the first
one that came
to hand.
So, without
quarreling, they
misused one
another's wives;
and the children
born to them
were called
Partheniae,
which means
engendered in
adultery.
2835. abyde R.
2836. heerupon] therupon R.
2840. 1st the] om. H. 2842] om. R.
2849. and] and mak R. 2850. nouther] nor H.
BK. Ill]
The Parthenue take leave of Sparta
409
The disturbaunce off fals successioun
And titles cleymed, afForced with gret myl\t,
Wher that auoutrie hath domynacioun
And is supportid off will & nat off riht,
And cleym off trouthe hath lost his cleer[e] liht, —
Thouh ther parties myhti been and stronge, 2876
God wil nat sufFre thei shal endure longe.
as always
happens where
2872 there is
adultery.
And Spartennois peisyng all these thynges,
How fals assurance was in ther lynage,
The ientil blood troublid first off kynges;
For no man knew, off hih nor low parage,
His owne fader be liknesse off visage, —
Nor fader non, bi his gret errour,
Koude yeue no title to his successour.
Wherupon folwed a gret myschauwce.
Hatful to heere: thoruhout the cuntre
Ech man troubled in his cuntenaunce.
Who sholde cleyme be any liberte
To entre his lond or to stonde fre.
Such doubte thei hadde, ech man for his partie;
So importable was the[r] auoutrie!
This grete myscheeff, who-so taketh heed,
Be long processe made hem to knowe & see
How thei wer able, as be likliheed.
For ther outrages to* fall in pouerte.
And off assent thei cast hem for to fle,
Vnder a capteyn, be strong & myhti bond,
Fro* that cuntre to wynne sum other lond.
And, as I reede, thei ches duk Palantus,
Off whom I spak, to gouerne ther passage,
Takyng no leue, the stori tellith thus,
At ther departyng, begynnyng ther viage,
Thei wer so confus off cheer & off visage:
For ther was noon off al that grete route,
To chese his fader but that stood in doute.
No one knew
who his father
was; no father
was sure of his
2880 own son;
2884
and as no one
was able to
establish a
valid claim to
his own land.
2888
j2 they feared that
they would fall
into poverty,
and decided
to flee their
country and try
to win another.
2896
Duke
Phalanthus was
2900 chosen captain;
and they left
without taking
leave.
2904
2878. Spartennois] Partennoys R, Parthenois J, P.
2881. louh nor hih H.
2895. to] forto B.
2898. Fro] For B, R, J.
2902. At] And R.
410
confused and
overcome with
shame, and
arrived at
Tarentum, a
city in Naples.
There Duke
Phalanthus
wcpelled the
citizens and
long governed
the country in
prosperity,
until he was
exiled by his
subjects in
his old age.
Men cannot put
their trust in
the commons.
Phalanthus conquers Tarentum
[bk.
Ill
Thei heeld hemsilff[e] verrai[ly] ashamed,
And for shame out off that lond thei wente,
Lik a peeple disclauwdred & diffamed
Thoruh thauoutrie, to which thei dede assente.
And to a cite that calHd was Tharente,
Which stant in Poile, a myhti strong cuwtrcj
This duk Palantus cam with his meyne.
And ther he putte, thoruh his gret[e] myht,
The citeseyn[e]s out off that cite,
And gat Tharente ful lik a manh knyht,
And ther abood in long prosperite
As gouernour & duk off that cuwtre,
Till that his peeple be fals collusioun
Hym to depryue souht out occasiouw.
Thei hym exilid whan he was fall in age.
Loo, what it is in comouns to assure!
Stormy off herte, onseur off ther corage,
That seelde or neuer ther frenship doth endure.
Men mai to-dai ther fauour weel recure, 2924
And tomorwe lat set it at a preeff:
Thei rathest hyndre whan men stonde at myscheeff.
2908
2912
2916
2920
[Off Ceson Quincius exiled and Graccus take
prisonere.]] ^
T CAN no mor reherse off Palantus,
Ceso Quintius
and Gracchus,
^ince of the X Duk & ledcre off Parthenwois;
Aqui, next began , _ ^'
to complain with But I Will tcU hoW CcSOn QuinciuS
Bochas. Cam tofor Bochas, with a ful pitous vois
His tale gan, and* Graccus prince off Equois,
Bothe attonys gan ther song entune,
Most doolfulli to pleyne vpon Fortune.
banUh'^d'Rome, This myhti prince Ceson Quincius
although a Compleyned first, as maad is mencioun,
dictator. tt i • rr t» •
How thei off Rome wer contranous
And felli wrouhte to his destrucciouw,
And ful oniustli banshed hym the toun,
[p. 180]
2928
2932
2936
2906. verraily] verrai MSS., very P.
2929. Ceso Quintius P.
2930. ful] om. H.
2931. and] how B, J, and how P, H 5, R 3.
* MS. J. leaf 74 recto.
BK.
Ill]
Cfso ^uintius and Cloelius Gracchus
411
And natwithstandyng he was a dictatour,
Hym to confounde thei dede ther labour.
Cause off his exil compassid, as I reede,
That he was slouh, thei saide, & necligent
Hym to defende touchyng apel in deede,
[WTiich] that a'geyn hym was wrouht ofF fals
entent.
Yit Cincinnatus, his fader, be assent
Paide for amendis, as seyn cronycleris,
Met out off lond drauht off thre arblasteris.
Yit his enmyes wolde nat be content,
But proceded that he was exiled,
Dede execucioun off his iugement,
As in his stor^^ ful pleynli is compiled,
He afFtir neuer myht be reconciled,
Which I ha[ue] pite to put in remembraunce, —
So litel offence sholde ha[ue] so gret vengaunce!
Graccus off Rome, callid Cloellius,
Prynce off Equoys, myn auctoz/r seith the same.
Was in his tyme notable and glorious,
And a gret duk, ful renomnzed off fame.
But how the peeple of Equois first took name,
Vnder support, that no man ha[ue] disdeyn,
I will the processe declare heer in certeyn.
lohn Bochas seith, ther is a nacioun
Which that first[e] wer callid Hunois,
And secondli also bi successioun
OfF ful long tyme named Anathois;
And aldirlast men callid hem Equois,
Lich as I trowe vayn auctowr seith the same,
OfF hors most svsnfFt thei took[e] first the name.
And as it is remembred in sentence,
Bi ther manheed and famous hardynesse,
Geyn Alisandre thei made a strong difFence
On hors[e]bak thoruh ther gret swiftnesse.
2940
The Romans
said he
neglected to
defend himself
in a suit,
although his
father Cincin-
natus made
2944 amends for him .
2948
But his enemies
were unfor-
giving and he
was never after
recalled.
2952
Cloelius
Gracchus was
2956 PP""^ °* ^^
^•^ -tqui.
2960
2964
who were first
called Hunois
and afterwards
Anathois,
and fought
bravely against
Alexander in
the Caucasus,
2972
2943. apel] the appele P, thappell R 3.
2944. that] om. J, P. 2949. proceede R.
2950. execucioun] extorcioun J.
2951. As] & H — his] om. R.
2959. Aequoys P — first took] took first ther R, J, P ■
t)e name H, y^er name R 3, ther name H 5.
2960. haue] will H. 2961. heer] om H.
2970. manhode R, manhod H.
name]
412
Gracchus overcome by Cincinnatus
[bK. Ill
Beside the hill[e], pleynli to expresse.
Which in cronycles is callid Caucasus,
This peeple off Equois were victorious.
hofse^en,^'^^^^ To thct Hoblesse, plcynli as I fynde,
Nothyng in erthe was mor expedient
In ther conquest ofF Ethiope and Inde,
As hors most swifFt, seruyng ther entent,
Therbi conqueryng al the orient.
So gret prowesse was in ther passage,
That Equois brouhte al Egipt in seruage.
conquering
Ethiopia and
India and all
Egypt.
Wherever they
rode they got
plunder; but
when Gracchus
incited them
against the
Romans, he
was beaten by
Cincinnatus,
a poor but
worthy knight.
Thus wher-euer Equois dede ride,
Thei gat gret good to ther possessiouw.
And Graccus was ther gouernour & guide,
Which hi his steryng and fals suggestiouw
Ageyn the Romeyns fill in rebellioun;
But to withstonde hym thei sent out anon riht
Cyncynatus, preued a ful good knyht.
He was weel trusted and knowe in the touw,
And for his prudence chose a dictatour.
His liflode smal and his possessioun,
Al-be he was a worthi werreiour,
Which hath venquysshid be his knyhtli labour
The said[e] Graccus, for al his gret poweer,
And horn to Rome brouht hym prisoneer.
Cyncynatus in [his] char was set,
Callid Quincius, for this gret victorie.
And most solempneli with senatours met.
Which gafF to hym, for tencrece his glorie,
Laude off tryuwphe, to putte hym in memorie.
And Graccus afftir, for his rebellioun,
With cheynys bounde, cast in a derk prisouw.
Tvide^nce w us -^"^ ^^^^ ^^ dcide iu ful gret myscheeff,
that Fortune is Afftit his couqucstis fitst famous & notable.
always false and ... . rr-
deceitful. An euidencc to vs and a gret preeff,
How that Fortune is ai fals & onstable,
Euer double, froward and deceyuable,
The fall off Graccus declare can ful weel,
That whilom sat so hih vpon hir wheel.
Cincinnatus
was granted
a triumph,
and Gracchus
died in prison,
2976
2980
2984
2988
2992
2996
3000
3004
3008
2974. callid is H.
2980. Therbi] gretly H.
2983. ride] abyde R. 2988. out] om. H.
2993. was he R.
BK. Ill]
A Chapter on unjust Judges
413
[Here Bochas rehercith the tirannye of Apius and
falsnesse of luges.] ^
hath
[p. 181]
3012
3020 '
A lustful,
infamous
tyrant,
NATWITHSTANDYAG Bochas afom
told
OfF Appius the falsnesse importable,
And his outrages & surfetis manyfold,
To be remembred hatful and repreuable,
Yit as hym thouhte, it was heer couenable,
To mor rebuk and spottyng off his name, 3016
Newe to reherse his sclaundre & his diffame.
The grete ofFencis off this Appius
And oppressiouns that he vpon hym took.
Made hym to growe so inli coueitous,
Thoruh his rauyne that al the peeple quook,
As ye mai seen in the seconde book,
Wher myn auctour doth cleerli specefie
His fraude in doomys, & his fals lecherie.
Eek off this tirant remembred ye mai reede
CheefF iuge he was, with other officeris,
Callid decemvir; & thoruh his pride in deede,
Ageyn the custum of them that wem his feeris,
He made be born standardis & baneris
In other wise, off hih presumpcioun,
Than vsid was afom in Rome toun.
These iuges hadde a custum & maneer,
Lik ther estatis in ther gouemauwce,
Ech afFtir other to ha[ue] born a baneer
Wher thei wente, such was thordynaunce,
Be twelue sergauntis noumbred in substaunce. 3036 p**'?'^
But Appius off pride and gret outrage
I-chaungid hath that custum and vsage.
He ferst ordeyned ech sholde in his place
Off decemvir haue a baner bom, 3040
In ther walkyng, the peeple to manace,
An hundred men off armys them toforn,
And twenti ouer, bi a statut swom.
301 1, to-fom R, toforn^ H.
3020. to] om. R — so] for R. 3024. fals] om. R.
3025. ofF] om. R. 3031. vsid was] vsis were R.
3034. to haue bom] ta borne H, to ha bom J, R 3.
^ MS. J. leaf 74 verso.
Notwithstand-
ing that Bochas
had already told
about the dis-
honesty of
Appius, he
thought it
would be well to
rehearse it once
again, the more
to rebuke his
3024
chief judge and
decemvir, he
went about
Rome with
standards and
banners borne
3028 before him in a
maimer quite
different from
that of earlier
days; and
whereas
formerly there
had been
3032 twelve
sergeants, this
Appius ordained
that there
should be 120
men of arms, to
overawe the
4^4 -^ Chapter on unjust Judges []bk. hi
Wherbi the cite bar gret cost in deede, 3044
And al the peeple wer put in feer & dreede.
h^Tml'ikabi'e To Seen the sergantis walke in plate & maile,
lboit'^fn\h°s^° ^^^^ thouhte it was a merueilous werkyng,
fashion; but all luges to gon with suchfel apparaile •1048
that Appius T L J 1 11 1 1
wanted was In thet procedyng, as ech had been a kyng.
he pleased and And hool thcntent off Appius menyng,
p°eop?rat''his ^ Was that he sholde, off power & off myht,
"'"• Doon what hym Hst, wher it wer wrong or ryht, 3052
The rihtful pun[y]she and the gilti spare,
Fauoure wrong for bribes & for meede.
The peeple oppressid stood in sorwe & care,
Fond no socour to help hem in ther neede; 3056
Lawe was ther non, for resouw lai be dreede,
Will was iuge and plesauwce equite.
And thus be maistri was gouerned the cite.
^VirghTia'^"''' ^"^ ^s it is remembred be Bochas, 3060
Appius was lecherous off nature,
And cauht a quarel, as ye ban herd the caas,
Ageyn Virgynea, a maide cleene & pure.
And for he sholde in hir nothyng recure 3064
Touchyng his lust, hir fader in that striff
With a sharp suerd made hir lose hir liff.
chaTnYa^nd died ^ud for this tirauwt be fals ribaudie
in prison, Caused hir deth be hasti violence, 3068
And for he sholde hir beute nat maistrie,
Deieng a maide in hir chast innocence,
Therfor he was demed in sentence,
As is toforn maad cleer[e] mencioun, 3072
For to be cheyned and deien in prisouw.
decemvirs were Eek deccmvir losten ther power,
abolished and ^j^j neuer in Rome afftir bar no name,
succeeded "7 ,. ^ ~, ,
tribunes. jSJor off that sect was maad non officer; 3076
And among all Appius bar the blame,
Whos crym rebouwdeth to his eternal shame.
As ye ban herd[e], who that can discerne, —
And thanwe tribunys wer chose for to gouerne. 3080
3047. werkyng] walkyng R.
3050. menyng] meevyng R.
3064. no thyng in hir H.
3071. demed] demyng H.
3074. decemvir] decemviri P.
BK. Ill] An Envoy on venal Judges 415
And in Bochas lik as it is founde, Kp^nf
The saidfe] iuges in myscheeiF dede fyne; the other judges
•1 * • 1 • • t 1 were exiled and
Whil Appius lay in pnsoun bounde, their goods and
Exiled wer[e]n all the tother nyne. 3084 esch'eated for
The good, the tresour off them & off ther lyne profit!™™^''
Achetid was, for short conclusiouw,
To comoun profit & encres off the toun.
^ Lenvoye.
THIS litil tragedie doth shortli heer deuise, 3088 S^y^shews
What myschef folweth for the grete onriht what mi^schief
. Z ... ° can be done by
Vsid be luges in many sundri wise: venal judges, to
For whan that fauour bleendid hath ther siht, right.
And innocence is bor doun with myht, 3092
And in his quarel pouert may nat proceede,
Because that trouthe oppressid is with meede.
A iuge sholde off equite despise [p. 182] fo ^de^s^s^"^ftV
To take gifftes off any maner wiht, ?oq6 chastise all
. , , . , 1 1 • 1 • wrongs and not
And redi been all wrongis to chastise, a'low truth to
Fii • rp . , . . , be overcome by
rom all girrtes turne awei his siht, rewards
His handis close, his eris stoppe ariht.
And been ai war, for frenshipe, hate or dreede, 3100
That trouthe be nat oppressid with no meede.
The noble doctryn and vertuous emprise noble doctrine
Off philisophres, that hadde so gret insiht, of phiic^ophers,
Was this to iuges, that prudent wer & wise: 3104 judges should
Fr jri 1 11-1 never allow the
or treend or to ther doomys so be diht, sun of righteous-
OflF rihtwisnesse that the sunne briht ^1p^.
Eclipsed neuer, list men for ther falsheede
Reporte that riht was put a-bak for meede. 3108
Noble Prv'ncis, supportours off iustise. Noble princes,
i^ n-j 1 1 '.J'*' > do not let judges
L-allid lodesterns to yeue the peeple liht, follow the
r\ \ • ^ • * • example of
Un Appius iat iuges nat* practise, Appius and
That trouthes laumpe be cleer bothe dai & nyht. 3112 iTwthrough
Your office peised, that longeth to a knyht, bnbcry.
Hold up the balauwce off doom in your manheede.
That lawe in iuges be nat corupt with meede!
3085. IjTies H. 3088. heer] om. J. 3091. that] the R.
3094. trouthe] trouhe R.
3106. that] of R. 3108. a-bak] away H.
3III. Iat nat luges B.
4i6 In Praise of the former Age [bk. hi
^ Bochas ageyn thontrowith of lugis.
Ap"[ufBoiSfs C VYNG vpon the deth ofF Appius 3116
rngrfiy°Thrt^^^ ^^^ ^^^ rebukcs for his gret outrage,
judges should Bochflj bc writywg wex sumwhat irous
be of mature _, . r i o i i • i •
age and vir- Cjeyn lugcs lalse, & thouht in his corage
tuous in their »-r'i • i i i i i o i rr
lives. Ihei shulde be sad & demeur oir age, 3120
And that ther lifF be vertu sholde drawe,
To keepe the preceptis & statutis off the lawe.
wifnowiUge Thei ouhte off resouw themseluen to habile,
and divoteYheir'T^ ^^"^ science ofF philosophie, 3124
time to civil And knowe ther textis off canoun & cvuyle,
and canon law. .ii , ..,, i-
And therupon her wittis hool applie;
For cunwyng iuges be prudent policie
Cause ordenauwces, in lawe comprehendid, 3128
Thoruh rihtful doom gretli to be comendid.
ieryTmportant lustise off lawe doth rcwmys enlumyne,
rea"ms^° *" Susteneth trouthe, supporteth innocence.
Off raueynour[e]s boweth doun the chyne, 3132
Punsheth robbours for ther gret offence,
Sluggi truantis for ther necligence,
And feyned beggeris, that gretli disauaile,
Constreyneth them to labour & trauaile. 3136
Foundours off lawe bi antiquite.
and in old time
the founders of
lt^/°°.'^ ""^^ Caused in londis was suffred non errour,
that prmces , , , '
went no further And made off pryucis the roial maieste
triumphs than To shync iu wotshepe, be deligent labour, 3140
the law of ITT • -I rr
God and Nature Wrcstid cotagcs oiT many conquerour,
permitted. Xhat ther tryuwphes no ferther sholde atteyne
Than lawe off God & nature dede ordeyne.
wbject^to*''^" W^l^ '^^s ^^^* tyme vnder subieccioun 3144
righteousness Qff rihtwisnesse, be trouthe ful weel conveied,
and sensuality .
to reason. Seusualite was seruant to resoun.
And froward lust was vnder lok weel keied;
Sentence off statutis was nat disobeied, 3148
The riche dede riht thoruhout eueri lond,
Poore folk lyued be labour off ther bond.
3123. themseluen^ ther silff H.
3124. Jje science H.
3128. Cause] Cause of R.
3130. illumyne R.
3134. Slouggi R.
BK. Ill]
In Praise of the former Age
Lordshipe that tyme auoided meyntenaunce,
Hoolichirch lyued in parfitnesse;
Knyhthod tho daies for trouthe whet his launce
And fals extorsioun hadde non interesse;
Marchantis wynwyng cam al off rihtwisnesse,
Artificers the werkdai wer nat idill,
And bisynesse off labour heeld the bridill.
Women that age farsid wer nor homyd,
Nor ther tailes wer nat serpentyne;
Wis men off foli, nor clerkis wer nat scornyd,
Which in science most fresshli dede shyne.
Lawe disherited non heires from ther lyne,
Lesyngmongers fond that tyme no socours,
And flaterers thanne wer maad no confessours.
This goldene world[e], flouryng in vertu,
Bom vp be loue groundid on stabilnesse,
Off auoutri ther sprang out non issu,
Pryncis be doctryne establisshed ther noblesse,
Preesthod in praier, knyhthod in worthynesse,
Ech thyng be lawe stood vnder gouemaunce,
Marchantis be mesour & iust peis off balaunce.
First Phoroneus be dilligent labour [p. 183]
Fond out lawes, that kyng was off Argyues;
The Grekis studie he gilte with gret honour.
This poletik prynce, tauoide hem fro stryues,
His statutis kept[e] duryng al ther lyues,
Fond first the maner, Bochas doth deuyse,
How to lubiter was maad sacrefise.
Eek myhti Mynos, whilom kyng off Crete,
Ordeyned lawes ageyn transgressiou?is,
To fere bi rigour foolis that were onmeete,
And staunche off surfetis all occasiouns,
Make for rob hours myhti strong prisouns;
And Dedalus, his cheeff artificer,
Made Laberintus be deligence entier.
And eek Mercuric, bom be the flood of Nyle,
' As writ Lactance, was off Egipt kyng.
Onto marchantis dede lawes first compile
Off weihte and mesour, to vs[e] in chaffaryng.
3153. for trouthe whet] quet H. 3168. be] with R.
3172. First by H. 3175. tauoidej auoyde R.
3182. all)eH. 3183. Make] Made H.
3187. As] And R — Lactance] Bocbas H.
• The lords
avoided maln-
, J . 2 tenance, and the
■^ ^ clergy led lives
of perfection;
merchants did
not cheat;
knights sup-
ported truth,
nor did women
paint their faces
or wear homed
headdresses and
•I 1 60 '°°8 trains.
"^ W isc men and
scholars were
not looked down
upon and
flatterers were
never made
confessors.
3164
It was a golden
world borne up
by love and
just law.
3168
„ Phoroneus,
3^/2 king of Argos,
invented laws
and sacrifices
to Jupiter.
3176
Ntinos, king of
Crete,
71 80 ordfined laws
•^ agamst fools
and robbers.
3184
3188
and Mercury,
king of Eg>-pt,
legislated for
merchants and
standardized
their weights
and measures.
4i8
Solon, the great Lawgiver
[bvl.
Ill
Solon
established
excellent laws
for the
Athenians and
hated tyrants.
Lycurgus made
his people
swear to keep
the law while
he was away on
a pilgrimage,
and since his
laws were so
useful and
important, he
preferred not
to return home
again, so that
his statutes
might never be
broken.
And for his wisdam & excellent kunnyng,
Off olde poetis, that whilom wer so wise,
He callid was god off marchaundise.
Solon also the beste lawes made,
As writ Valeri, hymsilff to magnefie:
Athenye[n]ses theroff wer ful glade.
His gret[e] wisdam whan thei dede espie;
Thei fond theryn so moch[e] policie.
And he was redi euer to debate
Ageyn tirantis, so sore he dede hem hate.
Kyng Ligurgus eek whilom dede his cure
To make lawes to comouw auauwtage,
And that thei sholde perpetueli endure,
He made his peeple be sworn, off eueri age,
Whil that he wente out on pilgrymage.
Fro poynt to poynt to keepe hem in certeyn,
Onto tyme that he cam hom ageyn.
And for his lawes wer off gret substauwce
And profitable to eueri comouwte.
He ches to lyue in exil and penauwce,
Neuer to resorte ageyn to his centre,*
That his statutis be eternyte
Sholde nat be broke, as ye han herd toforn,
Bi the convenciouw to which that thei wer sworn
3192
3196
3200
3204
3208
3212
Before he died
he commanded
that his bones
should be cast
far out into
the sea.
To comouM profit had he such tendirnesse.
That he forsook his kyngdam & kenreede
[To] lyue in exill, his story berth witnesse. 3216
But or he deied, as he lay bedreede.
He bad his bonys sholde be cast in deede
Amyd the se, ferr out fro the stronde.
That his statutis myhte in ther strengthe stonde.3220
Kocctrn'^He eschewed euerich occasions,
^°'be'faTse^?o" ^^ t^l ^hyng hatful which was nat fair,
That his forsaid[e] roial myhti toxxn
Sholde breke ther oth because off his repair. 3224
But touchyng that, he put hem in despair.
Cast hym neuer resorten in ther dawes.
List thei wolde breke the sentence off his lawes.
3194. Valeri writ R. 3i9S- Athemeses R.
3198. euer he was redy for to R.
3200. Kyng] om. H — Licurgus P.
3210. his] this H — centre] cite B, J, R, cite H j, citie P.
3219. from R, J, R 3, P, frome H.
their vow.
BK. IIl3
A Chapter on dishonest Oficials
419
here,
rebuking the
dishonest
officials and
judges of Italy
and Rome, who
oppressed the
3232 poor
and took
advantage of
their position to
be licentious,
like Appius,
false in their
decisions and
foul in their
lives.
^ An exclamacioun of Bochas ageyn theztorsions
& oppressions of ^e poraill of Rome.^
IOHN BOCHAS heer makith a digressioun, 3228 g,°sSrher
And bi rebukyng cast hym for tassaile
Thiike officerifs that wer in Rome toun,
Which bextorsioun oppressid the poraile, —
And ageyn iuges also off Itaile,
A[nd] namU them, that for lucre & meede
Sett trouthe aside & took off it noon heede.
He maketh ageyn hem an exclamacioun,
Such as to vertu wer contrarious, 3236
And vnder colour and occasioun
Off ther office list to be lecherous,
Lik condiciowned onto Appius,
And fynali, as it was afFtir scene,
Fals in ther domys & off ther liff oncleene.
O, quod Bochas, O trouthe, O thou lustise.
Which in your noblesse whilom dede excell,
Wher in effect is now your exercise ?
Wher is your wonyng? alas, wher do ye duell?
Off your practik ful fewe men can tell,
So ferr put bak is now your disciplyne,
Your kyn exiled and your noble lyne! 3248
Aduocatis that now doon ocupie [p. 184]
Your olde sees & placis ful roiall,
Al to falsheed ther wittis thei applie, —
Such couetise now regneth ouer all!
Causes off cyuyle & causes cremynall
Ther doomys take, wher thei be fals or trewe,
Al afftir will be statutis chaungid newe.
Ther been eek other callid accessours, 3256
Sittyng be iuges to yeuen hem cou/isail,
Which may ful weel be callid raueynours;
For thei nat laboure but for ther owne auail.
A noumbre off robbours folwe at ther tail, 3260
To pile the peeple, as ye ban herd tofom.
Bare as a sheep that is but newe shorn.
3233. &]orH, R.
3249. doon] doth R. 3253. &] or R. 3259. for] om. R.
3260. ther] the R.
^ "Here Bochas makith an exclamacioun of the extorcioun of
the ofl&cers of Rome," MS. J, leaf 75 verso.
3240
"Where are
Truth and
Justice now,"
he exclaimed,
7244 "Where do they
dwell? Few
men can tell
of their
practise.
"Advocates
apply their wits
only to false-
hood, and
judgments are
wh^y depen-
3252 dent on will.
".Assessors, who
give counsel to
judges, might
better be called
raviners; their
labour is all for
their own profit.
420 The Story of Alcibiades [bk. hi
bfsaiTthan'that THcF IS HO moF ill thIs matcer to seyne,
leToiaterand SaufF onli this : trouthc staiit dcsolat, 3264
righteousness [And] rihtwisncsse to no wiht dar complevne,
dare not i_,. , . ^ -^
complain. With wrong oppressid, wepyng disconsolat.*
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, that sit in hih estat,
Such thyng tamende but ye bet heed list take, 3268
God shal with you a ful hard reknywg make.
do^nofrkorm" YouF office is in youF magnyficence
Gorwin"make Twen man and man all wrowges to redresse,
a hard reckon- And whet z mateet is ageyn conscience, ^272
»ng with you. - » ,.„?,-'. ' ^ '
It to rerourme onli oft nhtwisnesse;
To stonde be trouthe, meyntene no falsnesse,
And lete wis couwseil such materes examyne
Or ye off haste theron* determyne. 3276
y^'^rs'yotT"'^ Hath such thynges in yowr mynde among;
deserve!" Thynk God wiU quite lik as ye disserue.
Ye spotte your noblesse iff that ye do wrong,
His suerd off punshyng dredith or it kerue. 3280
Lat your resouw & conscience conserue
Your noble estatis, & thywk, lik your werkyng.
The Lord off you will axen a reknyng.
[Off Alcibiades exiled and aftir brent in his bedde.] ^
Aidbiadi A FFTIR other \>at put hewsilf in pres, 3284
l^'Tared^ to^"' "^^ Tofor Bochas ther cowpleywtis to discure,
Bochas. He Cam off Athcnys Alcibiades,
was strong, rj^, . "^ . _ .
wise and 1 hat tyme a-iyue the fairest creature.
hig""neage? ° And as it is remembred be scripture, 3288
^ri^grear^' He was discrect and wis at all assaies,
orator. ^^d oon the strengest & manli in his daies.
He was first born off riht hih lynage,
Aboue all other off most semlynesse, 3292
Weel proporciowned and hardi off corage,
Loued & weel fauour^d for his gret fairnesse.
Famous in knyhthod for his worthynesse,
Sotil wittid, and koude bi eloquence 3296
Moche comprehende vnder short sentence.
3265. to no wiht dar^ dare nouth R.
3266. disconsolat] desolate R, & disconsolat B.
3275. such mateers wise cownsaile H, R 3.
3276. theron] the trouthe B.
3290. And] om. R. 3292. semblynesse R.
^ MS. J. leaf 77 recto.
BK. Ill]
Alcibiades' Cleverness in his Touth
421
His witt enclyned to manyfold sciences,
Hadde off kunwyng a passyng retentifF,
Loued clerkis, & fond hem ther despencis.
Such as in practik he sauh most inuentiff.
To reede in bokis reioished al his lifF,
Kepte what he radde in his memoriall,
And off wis counseil was noon to hym egall.
An* vncle he hadde Icallid Pericles,*
Which stood in daunger, ofFexcessifF spendyng;
Yit in his youthe this Alcibiades,
Seyng his vncle pensiff in lokyng.
Caste off wisdam to remedie that thyng;
And for tasswage his hertis heuynesse,
GafF hym this counseil hi gret avisynesse:
First to reherse how the mateer stood,
And off his vncles woful hih distresse.
Ther was to hym delyuered a summe ofF good.
To repare the temple oflF a goddesse
Callid Mynerua; but for the gret excesse 3316
OiF his dispendyng*, he stood suwwhat in dreede
Touchyng thacounte, which he mut yilde in deede.
Alcibiades heerupon musyng,
To his vncle gafF counseil in sentence. 3320
" Vncle," quod he, " lat be al your thynkyng.
And for yoursilfF[e] shapeth this difFence,
Nat for tacounte — be mene ofF your prudence,
Aforn prouyded, with face & cheer onfeyned, 3324
To such duresse that ye be nat constreyned."
And whan Pericles* his counseil aduertisith,
Fond to his worshep it was resonable;
And bi good leiser hymselfF ful weel auysith,
And bi prouysioun, prudent and notable,
Saued his estat from ech thyng repreuable,
So that he stood[e], touchyng this mateer.
As for acomptis out ofF al daunger. 3332
His retentive
mind turned
to many-
branches of
3300 learning; a
patron of
scholars and
great reader,
no one could
equal him in
wise counsel.
3304
His uncle
Perides once
stood in danger
of indictment
for exceeding
the amount
33C58 allowed him
in repairing
the temple of
Minerva; but
Alcibiades,
seeing him
downcast, said,
33"
"Do not
render any
account unleM
you are com-
pelled."
And Pericles,
following this
advice, took
care so to
3328 arrange his
a^airs that
he finally
escaped all
danger of
reproof.
3305. An] And B-
3312. the] this R.
3317. dispend>'ng]
dispenses P.
3321. al] om. R.
3326. whan] om. H — Perioles B, H, R.
3332. accowntis H.
■ called R — Perioles B, R, H.
dispense B, dispensis R, dispencis J,
422 The Story of Alcibiades^ Life [|bk. hi
Sthf Alciblades, ofF Athene cheefF capteyn, [p. 185]
Athenians both Yxo dav to dav wcx up to gret encres,
in war and nil i i
peace, and was Such another was ther nowher seyn,
admiral of their _-,, i i • i
navy. i hem to gouemc bothe in werre and pes. 3336
And al the cite hi assent hym ches,
OfF ther nauye in especial,
Vpon the se to been ther amyral.
fhe cluS^an! F^^ his knyhthod thei sent hym out a-ferre, 3340
he made war on Qff Cathcnois to be ther gouernour,
Syracuse, »
(jeyn biracusanes tor to gynwe a werre.
First ther receyued with glorie* & gret honour,
But in the eende ofF his gret labour, 3344
Fortune that is ay variant & onstable,
Was to this due nat fouwde fauourable.
but was recalled f| accusid to them ofF the touw,
on a charge ol _ '
treason^ and ^^^ Which in Athenys hadde gouernaunce, 3348
his oiRces. That he was gilti in parti ofF tresoun.
Bi them reuoked, for al his gret puissaunce
OfF capteynship, and bi ther ordynaunce
And Fortunys fals mutabilite, 3352
Onwarli pryued from al dignyte.
Sto'voiuS But for hymsilfF[e] thus he gan prouide,
exile to save Weute into exil nat ferr fro that cutttre
his life; for the j, • i n- i t^i-j
Athenians Into a* citc that callid was blide, 3356
desired to offer rr^, ^ iriri ji"l^
up his head to Iher for to ha[uej tredam and iiberte,
their gods. ^^^ ^^ j^jg ij^ ^^ g^Qj^jg jj^ surete;
For in Athen thei wolde haue hym ded,
Onto ther goddis to ofFren vp his hed. 3360
hrwent'^T"'^' But whan he was ofF ther entent certeyn,
fhe^re heard that '^° Lacedemoyu he took the riht[e] way,
through the And be relaciouw ther he herde seyn,
misadventure of _ _ r^^. . ^p
three captains How 1 hathenyenses wer put at aitray 3364
In a bataile vpon a certyen day,
Which that thei heeld, to ther aduersite,
Geyn Cathenois, as thei fauht on the se.
the Athenians But the cause ofF this disconfiture, 3368
defeated at sea As WaS told tO AlcibiadeS,
Catln*ans. Was bi thtc capteyns, thoruh ther mysauewture,
Which in ther ledyng wer founde rech[e]les.
3333. Albiciades of Athenes H.
3334. to gret is repeated in R. 3343- gloire B.
3355. nat] and R. 3356. Into aj In ta B.
of venomous
tongues.
BK. Ill] The Story of Alcibiades' Life 423
The cheefF off them named Demostenes, 3372
The tother callid, the stori tellith* vs,
The ton Niceas, the tother Eurilocus.
Alcibiades, hauyng heerofF tidyng, f?enge° wf ^°
Tauenge his wrong put hymselfF in pres; 3376 HadS'bt^iht
Off Lacedemoyn he goth first to the kyng, s^l'Aa*""! lend
Which off trOUthe was callid AgideS, him an army
--, , , , . to make war
Besechyng hym to graunte to his encres on Athens.
Certeyn soudiours out off his cuntre, 3380
For to werreie Athenes* the cite.
Thus he wex strong, off noble prouidence, So^l'Ind'^.
Hadde gret peeple vnder his gouernaunce, orlts b^te^
And lik a duk, maad strong in his diffence 3384 a°d high re-
r, , 11 1 • I • novra, as aUays
r>e peeple gadred to his obeisaunce, happens; for no
ripi 1 • 1*1 rr 1 •! ■ man is free
Ihat other pryncis, which wer ort hih puissaunce, from the slander
Gan haue envie, off wilful frowardnesse,
And to maligne ageyn his hih noblesse, 3388
For seelde or neuer in any regioun,
Prowesse off armys, noblesse off cheualrie,
Encres in richesse, report off hih renoun,
Fame off kunnyng in crafft or in clergie 3392
May nowher duelle withoute sum envie,
From whos malice, as folk expert mai see,
Sauf onli wrechis no man hath liberte.
For which this prynce, as put is in memorie, 3396
Escapid nat, for al his hih parage,
But that sumwe envied at his glorie;
For in this liff no man hath auauntage
Ageyn tunges nor odious fals language. 3400
To stoppe such venym, this the beste obstacle,
That men with suffraurzce tempre ther triacle.
The cleer prowesse off Alcibiades prowess^shad-
Steyned the noblesse off other pryncis all; 3404 °obuity of all
His eure hym reised up to so gret encres, °^her p"°"s;
To the hiest throne off Fortunys hall. him in knight-
Such fatal grace is onto hym fall,
3372. Domestenes R.
3373. tellith] techith B.
3374. Eurilocus] Lamachus P.
3377. he] om. H.
3381. Athenes] Athenos B, Athenois R.
3385. Be] The R.
3389. This stanza is marked with a scrawl of approval in margin, J.
424 '^^^ Story of Alcihiades* Life [bk. hi
That in tho daies, pleynli this no fable, 3408
Ther was in knyhthod noon to hym resemblable.
Spartans ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ SO clccr his rcnoun shon,
Hs^worthtness^^ ^^^ thoruh Grecc gaff as gret brihtnesse
by false report As doth a Fubi abouc cch Other ston: 341a
Yit for teclipse & shadwe his worthynesse,
Lacedemonois dede ther besynesse,
Such as myhte nat* to his noblesse atteyne,
Bi fals report his renouw to restreyne. 3416
to'lakl^lm'" Await was leid to take* hym at myscheff, [p. 186]
unawares and And many treynys wer serchid out & souht,
bring him to i rr
ruin; but he Qft entent taput hym at repreett.
to^es?ape!°*^^ But al that euer ageyn hym thei ha[ue] wrouht, 3420
At the eende ther purpos cam to nouht;
For God prouydeth off his magnyficence
Ageyn such malice to sauen innocence.
although his j^g ^^g ijij-ii tafalle in gret dauwger, 3424
lite was con- , ° i • i v/ ■ r
stantiy in Lacedemonois gan at hym so disdeyne
Because his honour & noblesse shon so cleer,
That to his fon it was a dedli peyne.
And thus his liff stood in noun certeyne; 3428
For al-be-it he manli was and wis,
He knew nothyng ther purpos nor malice.
"^9^'' He hadde almost iwarned be* to late,
misfortune . . . '
he had And Ilk tastonde m gret perplexite. 3432
a love affair . , , . or l_
with the queen, And mor his gracc & lortune to abate,
him af^hu* Bi thoccasioun off his gret beute,
!d3 him He with the queen was wexen ful pryue;
Athlns.*°There Fo^ in hir gracc so weel stood ther non, ^ 3436
he took no Which gaff hym warnywg off them that wer his fon.
And bi the couwsail onli off the queen,
Fro Lacedemoyn he wisli took his fliht
Toward Athenys, & thouhte he wolde seen 3440
His owne cuwtre, ful lik a manli knyht.
And thouh thei hadde nat gouerned hem a-riht
3408. this is R. 3409. in knyhthod was noon H
3415. nat myhte B, R, J.
3417. to take] tatake B. 3418. wer] om. R.
3420. ageyn] geyn R. 3421. ther] the R.
3424. tafalle] to fall R, H, J, R 3, P.
3425. is misplaced at end 0} stanza; correction indicated, H.
3428. no certeyn R 3, no certaine P. 343°- "orl & H.
3431. be] bien B, ben H 5. 3437. them] other R.
3440. thouhte] thouh R. 3442. thouh] thouht R.
revenge,
BK. IlO
The Story of Alcibiades^ Life
42s
Towardis hym, beyng in distresse,
Tauenge his wrong he dede hem no duresse. 3444
For he thouhte it was ageyn nature,
To be vengable or shewe his cruelte
Bi thoccasioun off any auenture,
Or gynne a werre vpon his cuntre; 3448
His natifF blood meued hym to pite,
And off verrai natural ientilesse
Was debonaire geyn ther onkynd[e]nesse.
The cas was this, for short conclusioun.
How kyng Darie with gret apparaile
Thouhte to werreie, off indignacioun.
Them off Athenys and ther toun tassaile.
And in his purpos proudli to preuaile, 3456
Thesiffemes, a pr>^nce off gret puissaunce.
Off Daries* power hadde al the gouemaunce.
Fynal cause and ground ofF al this werre.
That Darius gan on hem so hastili, 3460
And that he sente his puissaunce fro so ferre
For to destroie Athenys vttirli,
Was to hold up and sustene the parti
Off Lacedemoyn, which off old hatreede 3464
Wer euer envious them for toppresse in deede.
But be mene off Alcibiades,
And bi his trete foundid on prudence,
Thesiffemes enclyned to the pes, 3468
Therbi in parti tappese his violence.
And al was doon off noble prouidence.
And fro the place to which he was exilid,
He to Athenys sholde be reconciled. 3472
Onto the cite he dede signefie
How Darius hadde maad his ordenaunce.
And bi his lettris he gan them specifie,
Yiff thei wolde stonde at his gouemaunce, 3476
To condescende, pleynli in substaunce.
He wolde laboure, and no lenger tarie,
To make accord atwen hem & kyng Darie.
3443. beyng] stoondj-ng R. 3444. duresse] distresse R.
3451- geyn] age\Ti R, H, H 5, again P.
3455. tassaile] assaile H. 3456. his] om. R.
3458. Danes] Darius B, Darjus H 5. 3461. frome H.
3467. his] this R. 3469. tappese in party R.
3473. the] this R. 3479. atwen] tween R.
for he did not
believe it right
to make war oa
his own country.
At that time
3452 Darius wa»
preparing to
attack tie
Athenians
in aid of
Sparta;
but with the
help of Alci-
biades, peace
was promised
by the Persian
general Tissa-
p hemes, on
condition that
the Athenians
would do as
Alcibiades told
them.
4^6 The Story of Alcibiades* Life [bk. hi
lenlwr^wer'^r This was the mcne that he mente: 3480
controf/"" Withynne Athenys that the senatours
Sholde off the cite, afftir ther entente,
Ha[ue] fulH lordshipe, and be ther gouernours.
But as cleer wethir troublid is with shours, 3484
Riht so «vnwarli, withynne that roial toun,
Thoruh this trete fill a discencioun.
monsI'disd'aTningThe comowneris gan sodenli disdeyne
»"ch thraldom, "Jq \^q go thtallid vndeF subieccioun; 3488
blades to restore And SO bassent the comouns dede ordeyne,
Onli tappese al fals discenciouw.
For to reuoke ageyn into ther toun
Alcibiades, as thei thouhte it meete, 349a
Thoruh his prudence to sette hem in quyete.
^uktll^nild First in his komyng, myn auctour doth reporte,
supported the f^g ^35 maad duk ageyn off that cite,
commons. Ihe , .x,
senate fled, And gan the parti off comouns to supporte, 3496
And them restore to ther old liberte.
Wherthuruh the senat, dredyng the comouwte,
Fledde into exil ful ferr out off al pres,
Onli for dreed off Alcibiades. 3500
were'brought'^ Thei stood that tyme in so gret disioynt, [p. 187]
to the point Thet touM deuidcd and out of gouernaunce,
of yieldmg the » '
town to the 1 hat thei wer brouht euene onto the poynt
To yolde the cite vnto thobeissance 3504
Of Lacedemoyn, thoruh ther vnhappi chaunce,
Withywne hemsilff[e] whan thei gan debate,
Vnto ther duk the senat bar such hate.
di"oset' bv^the' But the comouws ches in ther diffence 3508
Alcibiades to gouerne that viage.
chosen by the
commons as
their defender, . , , . .
attacked the And to the se, With cost & gtet dispence,
the sea Withoute abood he holdeth his passage
In myhti shippis maad for auauntage, 3512
Weel enarmyd, & caste, yif he myhte.
With Lacedemonios proudli for to fihte.
3486. this] his R — a] at R.
3490. al] as R.
3496. the] that R.
3499. into] in H — ful] om. H.
3503. onto] to R.
3504. To] Ta H — the] ther H.
3507. Vnto] Vndir R.
3510. dispence] expence R.
3513. enarmyd] armed R — &] om. H.
BK. III^
The Story of Alcibiades' Life
427
Thre myhti capteyns wem on the tother side,
The first[e] Zestro, Bochas teUith thus, 3516
And the second that was ther lord & guide
Callid Midare, the thridde Pharbanasus,
On se and lond in armys ful pompous.
But of his knihthod and magnanymyte 3520
Alcibiades took hem all[e] thre.
Strong was the fiht or that thei wer[e] take,
Of al ther mejTie awey ther scaped non ;
The duk that day gan swich a slauhtre make 3524
Of hih prowesse vpon his mortal foon.
Cast ouerboord almost euerichon.
And aftir that, whan he cam to londe,
A newe bataille met hym on the stronde, 3528
Swich wait was leid aboute hym enviroun
Of his enmyes be sodeyn auenture.
But of Athenys this myhti champioun.
Which myhte in armys most souereynli endure, 3532
Made on his foon a [newe] disconfiture.
Thus in short tyme this prince in his estaat
On lond and se was twies laureat.
And aftir that, he list nat for to cesse 3536
Nor tabide the space off halff a day:
The comoun proffit of his toun tencresse.
Toward Asie he took the riht[e] way.
And touns, castellis that wer take away, 3540
Which apertened to Athenys of riht.
He gat ageyn, ful lik a manli kniht.
Maugre all that to hym wer contrarye.
Or wrouhte ageyn hym be rebellioun, 3544
Thoruhout [al] Asie in the land of Darie
He knihtli brouht hem to subieccioun,
Ageyn whos swerd halp no proteccioun.
And fynal labot^r was off his entente, 3548
The comoun proffit off his toun taugmente.
3515. Thre] The H.
3517. ther] t>e H.
3518. Midarus P, Pharbanazus P.
3520. and] and of his R.
3523. non] nat oon H.
3532. myhte] myhty R.
3535- se] watir R, H, J, R 3, wat>-r H 5, water P.
3541. to] of R.
3546. to] in R.
and captured
their three
captains,
Zestro,
Mindarus and
Pbamabazut,
and destroye^i
all their men.
On landing he
again defeated
the enemy.
After that he
went to Asia
and recaptured
towns and
castles that
belonged to
Athens
and brought
their inhabi-
tants again to
subjection.
428
The Story of Alcihiades* Life
[|bk.
Ill
prince
tector and
shield against
all violence."
At"en8!"he'° ^nd With this glonc and with this hih noblesse
was received fjg |.q Athcnvs repcired is agevn;
with ]oy and .111 • •!•• 1
great honour. And al the Cite, With loie & gret gladnesse,
Cam out to meete hym upon a wol fair pleyn.
And that his triuwphes sholde openU be seyn,
Bothe old & yong, with ful glad visages,
Of ther goddis brouht out the images.
Jried,''"°Wei- This was the[r] cry & noise of al the pres:
come, victorious " Victotious pnnce, whos triumphes marciall
prince, our pro- _,, . '^ -ii 11
Shal euer be songe with loude and newe encres
Tofor the goddis, which been inmortall,
Wolkome, wolkome ! our protectowr, oux wall,
Sheeld of our weelfare ageyn al violence,
Phebus of knihthod, & swerd of owr difFence!"
prai^e^they""^^ Thus with thet goddis thei maden hym egall
^^^\ ^{'"h^" ^^ vnkouth praisyng of paganysme rihtis,
gods. Lik as he hadde be verray inmortall,
And sang refreites to comende his merites.
Tenhauwce his glorie* thei sette al ther delites,
And with the liht[e] of eternal fame,
Sette up torchis tenlumyne with his name.
certa^n^dlyf in Thus cetteyn daies thei halwed of entent,
honour of his Thotuh [all the cite for his hih prowesse,
prowess, until "■ ■" . '^
Fortune bimded 111 J^ ortune hath his eycn blent
With newe fauour of worldli fals suetnesse.
For al hir* sugir is meynt with bittirnesse, —
A bait of hony, shad out at pryme face,
With mortall venym hid vndir to manace.
For in his hiest clymbyng up aloffte.
And in thascence of Fortunys wheel,
Aftir hir custum, as she hath ful ofte.
Whan he best wende for tastonde weel.
She drouh hir fauour from hyw euerideel.
Made the peeple vndir his obeissauwce
To falle in myscheefF for lak of gouernaunce.
his eyes with
prosperity
When he
thought he
stood highest
in her favour
she brought
misfortune on
his people.
3SS2
3556
3560
3564
3568
3S72
3576
3580
3584
3557. the] ther R.
3560, 66. Immortall H.
3565. paganismes R.
3567. refrectis H.
3568. And tenhaunce R, P — gloire B — sette] om.
3S7S- hir] ther B.
3576. at] of R.
3581. for to astonde R.
H.
BK. IIl3
The Story of Alcibiades^ Life
Thus fro this* duk Fortune gan to varie, [p.
And his noblesse go bak & eek faille,
Whan kyng Cirus, successour to Darie,
Ful vnwarli fill on hym in bataille,
And gan his knihtis proudli to assaille,
Whan he dispurveied, void of prouidence,
Was ouerleid to make resistence.
For fynalli this Alcibiades
At myscheefF take, which he myhte nat recure,
WTian thoruh veynglori he was maad rek[e]les
His noble estat testablisshe & assure.
Lak of forsiht caused his disconfiture;
And to encres of mor aduersite,
Ban[y]shed ageyn out of his cite.
Thus difFacid and clipsed was his glorie,
His cite put in straunge gouemauTzce
Be Lacedemono3^s aftir ther victorie,
So that he knew no maner cheuisauwce
To refourme his vnhappi chaunce,
Sauf for refut, myn auctoz^r doth reherse,
How that he fledde onto the kyng of Perse.
From Athenys of newe he was exilled ;
And thretti personys, furious & vengable.
Chose in that cite, as Bochas hath compiled.
The toun gouerned, al-be thei wer nat able,
Vsyng a maner hatful and repreuable,
Thoruh ther rauyne temporisshe ther cite,
A thyng most odious to eueri comounte.
A werm of dreed was bred up in ther herte,
Which sufFred nat them to lyue in pes,
Among themsilfF[e] whan thei dide aduerte
The grete prudence of Alcibiades,
How in manhod he was pereles,
List he wold aftir, for al ther multitude,
KnihtU aquite ther ingratitude.
And of assent tabreggen his \y^ daies,
Thei ageyn hym of malis han conspired,
AfFtir his exil, to maken no dellaies
429
.ool Made reckless
••■*-'''] by vainglory.
he was
defeated by
King Cyrus,
3588
and again
3d9'' banished from
Athens.
3596
He fled for
refuge to the
!600 '''°« °' ^crui.
;6C4
and Athens was
then governed
by the Thirty
Tyrants, who
^608 'ini>o^'erished
the city through
their greed.
3612
They began to
fear Alcibiades,
lest afterwards
he should
repay their
ingratitude in
3616 kind.
,/; ._ and conspired to
3020 murder him
after his exile.
3585. this] the B. 3591. ouer ladde R.
3596. discomfiture H. 3604. for] to R.
3608. that] ther R. 3611. ther] t)e H.
3619. aquite] aquiete R.
3606. of] om. H.
430
The Death of Alcihiades
[bk.
Ill
Thus the day
of his death
approached.
No prince can
provide
against
false con-
spirators.
He was pursued
constantly from
place to place,
and his enemies
finally fell upon
him at night
and burned
him in his bed.
It was too
horrible a
deed, —
such a good
knight to be
taken in his
bed and con-
sumed by fire!
But this was
his end; and
he flew with
two wings to
the Palace of
Fame.
O Fates, why
did you allow
him to burn on
the red coals?
He who had
lived so short
a term!
For tacomplisshe that thel long han desired,
With brennyng hate ther hertis falsli fired, 3624
To moordre benvie, causeles ageyn [al] riht,
Alcihiades, the noble worthi kniht.
Thus the tyme approchid and the date,
Term afforn set be constellacioun 3628
Of his parodie and his lyuys fate.
Which was concludid, as maad is menciouw,
Bi cruel moordre to his destrucciouw.
Alas, what prince, with gold or soudiowrs, 3632
May hym prouide geyn fals conspiratowrs!
Fortune of newe gan at hym enchace;
From hir treynys that he nat scape myhte,
Daili pursuede fro place ay onto place, 3636
Thoruh Perse and Mede, thouh he wer out of siht.
Til that his enmyes fill on hym be nihte,
Slepyng, alas, to soone thei wer sped:
Whan thei hym fond, thei brente hym in his bed. 3640
Thus be moordre ther purpos* was acheuyd, —
Alas, it was to horrible a deede.
So good a kniht, so weel in armys preuyd,
So renowmede, so famous in manheede, 3644
For to be brent among the coles rede!
First vnwarli in his bed Itake,
And so consumyd among the smokes blake.
This was the eende of Alcihiades, 3648
Which in knihthod was most souereyne;
In werre a leouw, and a lamb in pes.
As Mars victorious, his fate so dide ordeyne.
To famys paleis he fley with wynges tweyne, 3652
Sone to Mynerva, to speke of hih prudence,
And lik Mercuric be notable elloquence.
^ An exclamacion of l)e deth of Alcibiades.^
O FATAL sustren, which span the lyues threede
So short a terme; whi dide ye det(?rmyne 3656
To suffre hym brenne among the coles rede?
Ye wer to hasti to breken and ontwyne
3624. ther] the H — falsli] fully R.
3629. and] and of R, H. 3635. From] For R — nat] na R.
3641. purpos ther moordre, correction indicated B.
3647. smokes] coles R. 3652. fleih R.
* "Here Bochas makith an exclamacioun vpon the deth of
Alcihiades," MS. J. leaf 78 recto.
BK. Ill]
An Envoy on Alcibiades
431
His web of knihtehod, that thoruh the world* dide
shyne,
And caste of noblesse his bemys out most cleer; 3660
Alas, that euere he fill in your daungeer!
O, out on Stix, and out on Attropos, [p. 189]
That han of malis slayn so good a kniht !
Out on you thre, that keepe your-silfF so cloos, 3664
Douhtres Icallid of the dirke niht!
And thou, Letum, that queyntest eek the liht
Of Alcibiades, merour & lanterne,
To speke in knihthod how men sholde gou^frne, 3668
Ye slen the worthi, & wrechchis ye doon spare !
Torcites lyueth, Ector is slayn in deede.
Your funeral smokis makj) rewmys now so bare,
To race vp* cedris, ther braunchis may nat spreede, 3672
Ye palle the laurer, ye make the firses seede.
Ful litil thank in kyngdamys ye disserue,
KaitifFs to fostre, and do the worthi sterue!
Alicibiades is passed into fate, 3676
Liht of knihthod lith clipsed in the shade;
The Parchas sustren to soone sette his date,
Of hih noblesse to make the laurer fade.
Lacedemonoys* of his deth wer glade, 3680
Funeral fyr his bodi hath deffied.
For hih prowesse his soule stellefied.
Out on Styx
and out on
Atropos!
Out on you,
three daughters
of the dark
Night! Out on
you, Lethe!
You slay the
worthy and
spare wretches.
Your funereal
smokes lay
realms desolate,
fostering
caitiffs and
letting the
worthy die.
Alcibiades has
passed into
fate; the Parcse
allowed him to
die too soon;
but the Spar-
tans were glad.
[C] Lenvoye.
ALAS, this tragedie doth myn herte bleede,
Mi penne quake of routhe & of pite,
In my writyng whan that I tak heede,
To seen the straunge feerful dyuersite
Of al worldli vnseur felicite,
How from ther sees, shortli to cowprehende,
Froward Fortune doth princis doun descende.
Alcibiades, of corage & of manheede.
As is rehersid in bookis ye* may see,
Of gentilesse and of goodliheede.
3684
Alas, my
heart bleeds
when I see
how insecure i
the world's
felicity.
3688
3692
3659. thoruh the world] the word thoruh B.
3660. bem^'s] om. H {space left).
3662. 03 om. R, P — 2nd out j om. R — Antropos H, Atrapos
P, Attrapos J.
3666. Lethum P. 3667. Of] .A.nd H. 3672. vp] out B.
3677. lith] lyht R. 3680. Lacedemoyns B.
3681. diffied H, R. 3691. ye] as ye B, H.
.Alcibiades,
most famous of
goodness and
beauty, bounty,
prudence and
magnanimity.
43 2 57>^ Covetousness of worldly People []bk. hi
Of semlynesse, of fredaw & bounte,
Of hih prudence and magnanymyte
Was most famous, as auctowrs hym comende,
Yit from his seete Fortune made hyw descende. 3696
Athen°'?nd Al the pccple, bothe of Perse and Mede,
fiTthf enemies Whll hc gouemid Athenys the cite,
°et'^when^~ Stood in his dauwger & gan his suerd to dreede;
the height of And al that wern rebel to his contre, 3700
Fortune made He chastiscd hem in ther most cruelte.
frrai hirtllrone. But whan his fame gan hiest up tascende,
Doun from hir* wheel Fortune made hyw descende.
Moordre and tresoun with pretence freendliheed,3704
Outward fair cheer, couert iniquite,
Plesaunce in speche, & vndir that falsheed,
Hony shad out, sharp tailled lik a bee.
Song of Syrenes to drowne men in the se, 3708
In oon combyned, ther malis can extende
To cause princis doun from ther sees descende.
S!e your-"' Noblc Pryncis, that seen so moche and reede,
trelson^^aJuf^ Remcmbryng stories of antiquite, 3712
remember in AfFom prouidyng that tresoun nat proceede,
your prosperity _ , ^ j ir i • n -i i •
that he who Deth ay most dreedrul m [hihj prosp^nte,
sits highest t i • r ii i
is most ready to Lat othtis taiiyng a merour to you bee.
escen . "Yht toum of Fortune al auctowrs reprehende, 3716
Wher who sit hiest is rediest to descende.
^ A Chapitle of wordly folk wich desire to be magni-
fied.i
K'^bove A FFT[ER] this processe, yif ye list to lere,
all other things ±\^ \ac\\ as lohn Bochaj maketh mencioun,
to have power iii-rii ^• t •
and to climb That worldli folk most souereynli desire 3720
highest place in To haue in lordshipc gret exaltacioun,
refutation. And up to clymbc in ther entencioun
Of worldli worshepe* to the hiest place,
Al erthli tresour attonys to enbrace. 3734
3703. hir] his B.
3704. pretence] pretence of H, pretensed P. In MS. J, margin
(78 recto) opposite this stanza, "a notable ver[ity]," written
in a seventeenth century hand.
3721. lordshipel worshipp H.
3723. worshepej worshepes B, R 3, princis H.
1 "Here Bochas writeth ageyn the desires of the people," MS.
J. leaf 78 recto.
BK. Ill] The Covetousruss of worldly People 433
The feruent flawme of ther gredi desir[e]s fi^mi'of their
In mekil gadryng fynt no suffisance; forrich«t'
Ther hungri etik kyndeleth so the fires ofr^uiul-"
Of auarice be long contynuaunce, 3728 the more they
That her thrust of worldli habundaunce fiercer their
On Tantalus ryuer abraideth euer in oon, h^gher'^the *
Drownid in drynkyng, & deeme ther part is non. ^r^wr their
Ther may no tresour ther dropesie weel staunche; 3732
The mor thei drynke the mor thei thruste in deede.
In Thagus floodis the depper that thei lauwche,
The gretter drynesse doth in ther brestes* breede.
The hier water, an ebbe most thei dreede; 3736
Fals indigence ther herte hath so confoundid,
At fullest sees thei seeme ther barge is groundid.
Thus ech man wolde to gret richesse atteyne; [p. 190] content' wi^ttT
With suffisaunce but fewe hold hem content; 3740 ri°hes^co3i^'
Who most haboundeth, now rathest wil compleyne pJ"'" ™°"
For lak of good — alas, how thei be blent ! andyet it may
Wher shal ther gadryng, w^her shal ther good be spent ? money »iii be
Sum oon par cas* shal hem therof discharge, 3744 thenTai^Tpent
Whom thei most hate, & spende it out at large. wLmTher
Withynne a bodi, but* litil of stature,
Corages growe up to gret magnificence, it seems to
Which up tascende do ther besi cure, 3748 ing could impair
And in ther clymbyng & transitorie assence, po^rr°they^
Hauyng an hope of worldli apparence, Fortune'^rs*
Lich as nothyng ther puissaunce myht trouble, double.
Nothyng aduertyng how that Fortune is double. 3752
Summe set ther ioie in conquest and in werris, w^^^'and ^°^
Tenbrace al erthe vndir ther puissaunce, conquest —as if
T -I 1-1 111 • ^'^^y "'"'*^
Lik as thei myhte reche aboue the sterns, """ch above
>-p , J , 11- *"^ stars; but
10 brynge doun heuene vnto ther obeissaunce. 3756 if their power
But yif ther poweer wer peised in ballaunce, wdgh^lthey
And countirweied a-riht in ther memorye, only 'laingio^.
Thei sholde weel fynde that al is but veynglorie. I'u^riewnd"'^
What may auaille hem ther fethirbeddis softe, 3760 panions avaU
Shetis of Reynys, longe, large & wide,
3727. hungri] gredy H. 3735. brestes] hertis B — breedel
bleedeH.
3740. hold them but fewe R. 3744. par cas] parchas B.
3746. but] ful B, J. 3753. ioie] loves H.
3756. vnto] to R. 3761. reynes R, Reyns H.
434 ^ Chapter in Praise of industrious Men {byl. hi
Duyers deuises or clothes chaunged ofte,
Or vicious mene walking be ther side, —
Void of vertu, ambicious in ther pride, 3764
Which causeth princis, be report of swich fame,
For ther mysleuyng to han an heuy name.
id°enlss'and ^^^ thus for lak of vcrtuous dilligence,
'support^ of'^vice Thoruh fals luxure and froward idilnesse, 3768
oFliarTcod^ And upon flatereris thoutragous expence,
will not suffer Support of wrong oppressyng rihtwisnesse,
them to last ttti i i
long. Wner lesyngmongeres haue an mteresse,
Whom to susteene whan princis do ^er cure, 3772
God wil nat sufFre that thei shal long endure.
Jwncef u to^ Offise of princis is to supporte riht,
to^eifeve "and*' ^^^ suerd of knihthod fro wrongis to restreyne,
not oppress the The poorc releuyng, toppresse hem nat with myht, 3776
temper His oldc scruaunt^j^ weel preved nat disdeyne,
vengeance with tt* i • • i i • i
mercy. His hasti v\gour and his vengauwce sodeyne
Lat merci tempre, to doom or he proceede,
And God shal quite hym whan he hath most neede. 3780
^ A Chapitle of men doing Such thing as ^ey be
dispo[s]ed to.^
t^h°af nothing"' IX/T^^ auctowr Bochas makth a r^hmaile,
may avail more iVJ. \^ eschewyng of froward idilnesse,
to virtue than J a '
industry. Each That onto vertu may [no thyng] mor auaile
do that for Than* dilligent labour and honest bisynesse; 3784
most tafent^' And SO concludyng, ful pleynli doth expr^sse,
Ech man reioyssheth (this sentence is nat glosid)
To doon swich thyng to whiche he [is] disposid.
fnro^n^r^? '" Sumwc ha[ue] ioie be heuenli influence 3788
or prove them- To kuowe the cours aboue celestiall;
selves m war- pi-ii 11 1 tii*
like deeds, and And sumwe of kuihthod do ther dilligence
others rejoice ,^ , .,£p •*...• * II
in eloquence or lo prcuc themsiltt in* actis marciall.
op"h/a^nd°^ And sumwe reioisshe, in ther entent fynall, 3792
poetry. j^^ elloQucnce, sumwe in philosophic,
Sumwe, aboue all, to stodie in poetrie.
3763. mene] meyny P.
3768. luxury H. 3774. Thoffice H. 3779. he] ye H.
3783. no thyng] om. R, J, H 5 — may no thyng] nought may P.
3784. Than] Good B, R, J, H 5. 3787. to whiche] as R.
3790. do] to do R. 3791. in] be B. 3793. 2ndin]&inH.
* " Here lohn Bochas spekith ageyn Idelnesse rehercyng how
sum men haue Ioie in o science and sum in anothir," MS. J. leaf
78 verso. I
BK. Ill] In Praise of industrious Men 435
The hardi kniht is seruaunt to Seynt George, Stifsf^^
Meuvne of planetis sercheth thastronomeer, 3796 George; the
-', or ,.,.- astronomer
Martis smvth laboureth in his forge, searches the
TT • r 1 1 r 1 u l_ moving of the
Hameis or steel mak[ejth tharmoreer; pUnet*, the
Bi J • 1 j*il' ^" armourer con-
ut the deuisour, be dilligence entieer, trives harnesses
Be fressh contreuyng, out of the old entaille 3800 °^ ""'
Fynt newe deuises of plate & eek of maille.
The laboreer set hooli his plesaunce Itslo^^J"
To tilthe of lond in tyme to sowe his greyn, Ind°^t! '*°^*
Tencrese his seed be yeerli habundaunce, 3804 of their nature
And that his plouh laboure nat in veyn, soiiury.
Castyng his sesouns of drouht & eek of reyn;
And poetis to sitte in ther librarie
Desire of nature, and to be solitarie. 3808
Swich as men loue, such thyng \>ei vndirtake: Sey undertake!
Fissh or foule or hunte with ther houndis ; r ^° ^t °'
n r 11 I'll °^ hunt,
Summe of wolle sondn clothes make; to ^.,^''°"
Be philisophre[s] was founde out first Jje groundis, 3812 but poct» mu»t'
And of al studie thei sette out first ^e boundis, '^' '° ^ ^" *'
Caused poetes, pleynli to conclude.
Out of al pres to lyue in solitude.
Logiciens delite* in argumentis, [p. 191] 3816 ^ifJJHn argu-
Philisophres in vertuous lyuyng, pi«°\ p^h
A J 1- • r 1 L r 1 • losophers m
And legistns, rolwyng tne[rj ententis, virtuous life,
r> ^^• • • r • 1 J * legists and
(jtetli reioisshe m lucre and* wynnyng. physicians in
Phececiens trauaile for getyng;* 3820 anTp^t'l fn'"'
And of poetis, this the sotil fourme, Sni°v'?ew
Be newe invencioun thynges to transfot^rme. invention.
Poetis sholde esche[w] al idilnesse, w^"bj°c:^stai
Walke be ryuers and wellis cristallyne, 3824 ^''i^'Jfl*^'*
To hih mounteyns a-morwe ther cours up dresse, mountains at
The mist deffied whan Phebus first doth shyne, should 'study
Studie in bookis of moral disciplyne, conten°with
Nothyng coueite, but sette ther entent, 3828
With moderat foode for to be content.
3797. Marcis R.
3798. Hameis] hands H. 3808. and] om. H.
3809. Swich] Suche R, H.
3810. hunte] huntyng H, to honten R, to hunten J.
3816. delite] delite hem B.
3818. folwyng] folwen H — ther] the J, H 5, R.
3819. and] and in B, H, R 3, H 5.
3820. getyng] wynnyng B. 3825. up] om. R.
moderate food.
436
A Chapter on Poets
[bk. Ill
kbour''il"to Ther cheefF Xzhoux is vicis to repreve
no^t'to^e'""' ^^^^ ^ maner couert symylitude,
or'^fn^inllfr""'^'^ ^^^ "°" cstEt With thcF laHgagc greeve 3832
Bi no rebukyng of termys dul a«d rude;
What-euer thei write, on vertu ay conclude,
Appeire no man in no maner wise:
This thoffise of poetis that be wise. 3836
or to injure
men, but
always to
conclude with
virtue.
Poets should
be secluded
from the
tumult of the
world and live
according to
their means and
by the support
of princely
patrons.
They have
neither land
nor wealth;
and when their
purses are
empty they
fail in counte-
nance. The
support of
princes is the
best recompense
of their sorrows.
Lords have
power, church-
men gold,
knights and
merchants are
well able to
look out for
themselves,
but poor poets
now-a-days may
go begging.
Dante, Virgil,
Petrarch,
Chaucer, — all
prospered; for
they had the
support of
princes.
f A chapitle of t)e gouemance of Poetis.
TO descryue the disposicioun
Of al poetis be old ordynaunce, —
Thei shold be quieet fro worldli mociouw,
And it sequestre out of ther remewbraunce, 3840
Fare compotent vnto ther sustenauwce,
Drynk wyn among* to quike ther dilligence,
Support of princis to fynde hem ther dispence.
For thei that lakke lond & pocessioun, 3844
And can of lucre no maner cheuisaunce,
Ther cofFres void, ther purs turnid up-so-dou«,
And wante vitaille to fynde hem in substauwce,
Ther corage dullith, thei faile contenaunce, — 3848
What mihte beste ther sorwes recowpence?
Support of princis to fynde hem ther dispence.
Lordis in erthe ha[ue] domynaciouw;
Men of the cherche of gold haue habuwdauwce; 3852
The kniht get good[e] thoruh his hih renouw;
Marchauntis with v^nwyng ha[ue] souereyw aqueyn-
tauMce:
But [poor] poetis (God sheeld hem fro myschaunce!)
May now-adaies for ther impotence, 3856
For lakke of support go begge ther dispence.
Daunt in Itaille, Virgile in Rome toun,
Petrak in Florence hadde al his plesaunce,
And prudent Chaucer in Brutis Albioun 3860
Lik his desir fond vertuous suffisance,
Fredam of lordshepe weied in ther ballaunce,
Because thei flourede in wisdam and science,
Support of princis fond hem ther dispence. 3864
3831. a] om. R.
3837. This chapter {lines 3837-3871) is omitted in H, R, J,
H5, R3. ^
3842. amongj competent B.
3855. poor is supplied from MSS. R 2, H 3, H 4.
BK. Ill]
Macbaus, Duke of Carthage
437
O welle of fredam, enclyne thyn eris doun.
And of thi bounte yiue sum attendaunce,
To heere of merci my supplicacioun,
In releuyng of myn hertis greuaunce;
Oppressid with pouert, & kan no pumeiaunce,
SaufF to resorte to thi magnificence,
Onli be support to fynde me my dispence!
O weU of
generosity,
incline thine
ears to hear
my suppli-
cation;
3868 oppressed with
poverty,
through thy
magnificence
only can I find
my means of
support.
paow Malleus Duk of Cartage for oppressioun
tiiannye was hewen in to pecys.] ^
WHAN Bochaj- hadde reh<frsid of poetis, 3872
Ther straunge studie & ther soleyn writyngis,
And ther desirs of solitarie seetis,
.In plesaunt placis to make ther duellyngis,
Beside ryuers & holsum welle spryngis, 3876
Which acomplisshed, he gan his penne auaunce,
Pryncis off AfFrik to putte in remembraunce.
And whil he dede his besi dilligence
Ther pitous fallis to putte in memorie,
First ther cam tweyne vnto his presence,
Ther old noblesse appallid & ther glorie,
Which, as hym sempte, withyne a teritcrie
0[f] Affrik boundis, longyng to Cartage,
Dide first appeere, most dedli of visage.
The ton of hem was named Malleus,
Duk of Cartage, of Affrik lord and sire.
His sone also callid Cartalus,
Whilom cheef prince & bisshop eek of Tire.
But Malleus, which heeld the gret empire
Of al Affrik, for his pompous outrage
Exilled was for euere out of Cartage.
Which caused hym in herte he was nat murye, [p.
But ay remembrid upon his fel banshyng,
Gadred his peeple withynne the lond of Surr>'e,
And in the feeld, whil he lay hosteieng.
Cast hym fulli to make no tarieng.
But in al haste, of knihtli fel corage,
Maugre his enmyes resorte onto Cartage.
.\fter John
Bochas (and
John Lydgate)
had told of
poets and their
desire to live
alone in pleas-
ant sur-
roundings, he
began to write
about princes of
Africa,
two of whom,
Machxus, duke
a88o °^ Carthage,
■^ and Cartalui,
his son,
appeared in his
presence.
3884
Machxus was
exiled for his
outrageous con-
duct and sought
3888 revenge.
389*
192]
Raising an aroiy
in Syria, he
resoU-ed to
return to
Carthage in
spite of his
3896 eneaiies.
3879. his] this R.
3882. ther] the H.
3894. upon] on H.
3886, 90. Manlvus H, Macheus P.
3898. al]all)eH.
^ MS. J. leaf 79 recto.
438
Machaus, Duke of Carthage
[bk. Ill
He sent for his
son, who was
prince and
bishop of Tyre,
to come and
help him with
all the chivalry
of his town;
but as it was
then the time
for sacrifice to
Hercules,
Cartalus pre-
ferred to offend
his father
rather than
neglect the
gods.
His father was
very angry.
Tauenge his exil his herte was set affire,
And his entent[e] mor to fortefie,
He sente in haste his lettres douw to Tire,
To Cartalus, that he sholde hym hie.
And brynge with hym al the cheualrie
Of his cite, in steel armyd cleene.
His fadres parti to holde up and susteene.
But whan this bisshop knew hooli the maneer
Of this purpos, which ye han herd deuise.
He considred how that tyme of the yeer
Ordeyned was to do sacrefise,
Aftir the rihtis of ther paynym wise.
To Hercules, which in that cite
Aboue al goddis hadde the souereynte.
Whos feeste was holde space of certeyn daies.
Which for to halwe he needis must entende,
And bi the custum make no dellaies.
But that he muste therto condescende.
And leuer he hadde his fader to ofFende,
As in swich caas, than thoruh neccligence
Vnto his goddis for to doon offence.
Wherof his fader hadde indignaciouw,
The caas arettyng to vnkyndenesse,
And therof kauhte a gret occasiouw
Ageyn his sone, of froward wilfulnesse:
For princis ofte, of furious hastynesse,
Wil cachche a qu[a]rel, causeles in sentence,
Ageyn folk absent, thouh ther be non offence.
and venomous
tongues made
matters worse,
for no poison is
more baneful
than the
hateful violence
of slander.
The festival
over, the bishop
went at once
to his father.
He did not
even stop to
change his
clothes.
3900
3904
3908
3912
3916
3920
3924
3928
And summe tunges venymous of nature.
Whan thei parceyue that a prince is mevid,
Tagregge his* ire do ther besi cure.
With fals langage to maken hyw mor grevid.
But ther is no poisouw so weel expert nor pr^vid 3932
As is of tunges the hatful violence,
Namli whan princis list* yiue hem audience.
The feeste acomplisshed of myhti Hercules,
Al innocent of double or fals meenyng, 3936
The said[e] bisshop, of wil nat rek[e]les.
3903. Tartalus J. 3908. Of] & H. 391 1. wise] guyse H.
3914. was3 wast R. 3917- therto] for to H.
3925. of] in H. 3930. his] ther B. 3934. list] wil B.
3936. Al] An R.
BK. Ill]
The Tyranny of Macbaus
439
Kam to his fader withoute mor tarieng,
Chaungid nouther habit nor clothyng,
With al thensignes, & in the same wise 3940
As he toforn hadde doon his sacrefise.
Anon his fader made no delay,
Withoute excus, it wolde be no bet,
Of hasti rancour, the silue same day 3944
Maad hym been hangid upon an hih gibet.
Lawe an[d] iustise wer bothe aside set,
And tiranye, most furious & wood.
To do vengaunce in trouthis place stood. 3948
Who can or may tiraunt^i" wil descryue,
Whos marcial suerdis be whet ay for vengauwce?
Ther bloodi thrustis doth thoruh ther hertes ryue,
Ther eris ay open to heere of sum myschaunce, 3952
Ther furious merthe, ther mortal wood plesaunce,
Ther pale smylyng, ther lauhtre of fals hatreede,
Concludeth euere upon sum cruel deede.
Thei been mynistris to Parchas sustren thre, 3956
Tuntwyne the threedis of folkis heer mortall,
And verray cosyns, thoruh hasti cruelte,
Vnto the woode Furies infernall,
Children to Pluto, of vengaunce marciall, 3960
Which for ther vices, but thei here hem weel,
Shal toume in helle on Ixiones wheel.
Thus Malleus, fader most vnkynde,
Lik swich a tirant shad out his cruelte, 3964
As ye han herd; and aftir, as I fynde,
Of furious herte and of old enmyte.
Be force is entrid Cartage the cite,
And slouh al tho in his hatful ire, 3968
That hym afForn had exiled into Tire.
Wrouhte aftir wil and nothyng aftir riht,
Gan robbe and spoille that noble famous toun,
Which made hym hatid in the peeplis siht 3972
For his outrage and gret extorsioun,
Hauyng no ioie nor consolacioun
his] om. R. 3949. wil] weel R.
thrustis] thyrst P, trustys H 5, thristis R 3.
Childre R, H. 3963. Manleus H, Macheus P.
2nd of] om. R. 3967. of Cartage R.
aflPom] om. H. 3972. peeple R. 3973. For] for by
But on the
same day his
father had him
hanged on a
gibbet.
Who can
describe the
will of tyrants,
— their furious
mirth, their pale
smiling and
laughter of false
hatred!
Ministers of the
Parca;, cousins
of the Furies,
children of
Pluto, they will
turn in hell on
Ixion's wheel
for their vices.
Thus
Machzus first
slew his son,
and then
entering Car-
thage murdered
all those who
had caused bit
exile.
He robbed and
spoiled until
he was hated
by the people,
whom it was his
joy to oppress.
3941-
3951-
3960.
3966.
440 'The Fate of Machceus the Tyrant [bk. hi
Withynwe his herte, pleynli, nor gladnesse,
Sauf lik a tirauwt the peeple to oppresse. 3976
^heir^misTo?'^ The pccple of Cartage sore gaw to pleyne [p. 193]
tune; and Vpon thct mischeeff and desolacioun.
isochas says, that . , y^ ,
the lordship of And Bochas writ, rehersyng in certeyne,
princes who ^^j.. . . r • o c
climb up fast Wil IS a stepmoodet or witt & 01 resouw; 3980
throug"piiiage And wher that princis ha[ue] domynaciouw,
wiu^not last ^j^j j^j f^ig pillage to richesse clywbe up faste, —
Trusteth riht weel, ther lordshipe may nat laste.
worldly "ignity'^Ther grete poweer of worldli excellence, 3984
to*thlr^°if^they ^^^ ^^^^ acrochyng of temporal richesse,
br'dshi"^^""' h""^ Whan thei be tirauwt^j-, may stonde in no difFence,
love of a well- And ftoward wil[le] reuleth ther hihnesse.
ordered people. t-> i • i i i • i t
l*or what is lordshipe, pleynli to expresse, 3988
In this world* heer, yif it be discernid? —
Loue of the peeple whan thei be weel gou^mid.
op^pre^ssion^"*^ For titannye and fals oppressiouw
tnd'"when^Vhe'^' Causeth princis to stonde in gret hatreede. 399a
people cease to And what is worth ther domynaciouw,
prince is' but Withoute loue lat preue it at a neede?
a man a one. y[^^ f^j. ^ tymc may sufFre hem weel & dreede;
But whan that dreed constreyned is & goone, 3996
Than is a prince but a man allone.
^goofempie; Sceth an exauwple how Malleus of Cartage,
for finally the Yov al his castelHs & tour[e]s maad of stonis,
people rose and , . •■ ■■
tore him in For his opprcssiouM, vcngauwce and outrage, 4000
The peeple of AfFrik ros on hyw al attonys,
And hew assonder his flessh & eek his bonys,
Caste hem pleynli, on hym thei wer so wood,
Vnto ther goddis to ofFren up his blood. 4004
fhougftat The peeple dempte, of mortal cruelte,*
no offering was Thct was non offryng so plesauwt nor couenable
more acceptable i i- i i i •
to their gods Vnto ther goddis to plese ther deite,
of tyrants. As blood of tiraut^j, which that be vengable. 4008
Thus cruel princis make the peeple vnstable
Of necessite, which ouhte be cowpleyned,
To wreke ther wrongis that thei be constreyned.
3977. pleyne] cowpleyn R. 3983. riht] om. H.
3984. Ther] The H. 3985. Nor] To R. 3989- world]
word B.
3994. it] om. H. 3997. a man but R. 3998. Manlyus H.
4CX35. cruelte] equite B.
BK. Ill]
An Envoy on the Vice of Tyranny
441
Loo, heer the eende of Malleus the tiraunt.
Which doth to princis ful weel exemplefie,
To God aboue how it is nat plesaunt
Them to delite in no swich robberie,
Nor pile the peeple be no fals tirannye,
Nor for no talis be hasti of vengaunce;
For al swich thyng to God is displesaunce.
^^r-, Th« f»te of
ehewt that God
is not pleased
with kin^
who rob asd
oppress their
people.
4016
^ Lenvoye.
RAD and considred, this saide tragedie
Sheweth to princis a merour ful notable,
How thei ther rigour shal tempre & modefie
Or thei proceede for to be vengabl*? :
For in a prince it is riht comendable,
Rancour of herte, of cheer & of corage
For to diiferre til that ther ire aswage.
Ther hasti* ire, [ther] sodeyn malencolie,
The[r] colerik fumys, ther furie vnrestreynable,
Ther vnqueynt fires with flawme of tirannye,
Ther fretyng etik of hate incomparable,
Lik bestial tigres, lik leouns vntretable,
Ne wil nat sufFre ther infernal rage
Differre ther doomys til ther ire asswage.
"^The roial leoun, of mortal gent[e]rie,
Among beestis of force incomparable,
Preueth nat his poweer nor his regalie
Geyn beestis prostrat, which be nat defensable.
And myhti princis sholde, in caas semblable.
For innocentffj- take merci in morgage,
Respityng rigour til ther ire asswage.
Ther sparcle of vengaunce is quiked in partie
Be wyndis foure, fell and abhomynable:
Blast of detraccioun, & blast of flaterie.
Blast of fals rowneris, that forge many a fable.
And blast of bribours, most vicious & coupable,
This tragedy
teaches that
A.020 P""^** should
* temper their
rigour.
4024
In their hasty
anger and un-
restrained fury
and hate they
4028 »re like tigers.
4032
4036
The lion does
not prove his
might on de-
fenceless
creatures.
Princes should
follow his
example.
__^_ Detraction,
4040 flattery, deceit,
and extortion
fan the flame
of their rage.
4044
4012. Manlyus H. 4016. fals] om. H.
4026. hasti and sodeyn are transposed B — ist Ther] The H.
4027. 1st Ther] The H, R 3 — 2nd ther] the J, l>e H.
4029. etik] fretj'kR. 4030. intretableR.
4031. ther] that R.
4034. beestis] al beestis H. 4038. Innocence H.
4044. blast] bast R — coulpable R, H.
442 The Fate of Hivtilco, Duke of Carthage [|bk. hi
With smoki sclaundrls & felenous fals visage,
Causeth ire of pryncis that it may neuer aswage.
btware'ofiying, FoF which lat princis, of noble policie
ton^ueT"" Bewar of tungis double and deceyuable, 4048
Which with ther venym infect ech companye,
Ther poynaunt poisoun is so penetrable;
To folk absent it is myscheuable,
So deepe fretith ther serpentyn langage, 4052
Causyng in princis ther ire may neuer asswage.
^birprinces, Noble Pryncis, lat vertu magnefie
magnify your Your hih estatis to make you merciable;
high estates "^ ,
and make you For moral Sencc doth clerli specefie, 4056
The throne of princis be clemence is maad stable.
Vengauwce delaied, to God is agreable;
And hasti rigOMr doth outragous damage,
Whan humble requestis yoMr ire may nat aswage. 4060
[How the substaunce of the host of himilcho duke
of Cartage gojmg to conquere Cicile died of
pestilens & aftir himsilf slayn.] ^
Scarthage, was A FFTIR thcse noble myhti princis tweyne, [p.194]
Mnt to conquer jTx, Next in ordre, with pale & ded visage,
Toforn lohn Bochas Himilcho gan cowpleyne
Thunhappi fall of his fatal passage, 4064
Whan he was sent bauctorite of Cartage
To conquere, thoruh his myhti puissauwce,
The lond of Cecile vnto ther obeissance.
UnsSSeX" Thei of Cartage hadde an oppynyouw, 4068
that^^ch^^igh- That it was leeful, aftir ther entente,
ceedings were WithoUte title of Hht Ot of rCSOUW,
Ther teritories & boundis to aumente.
And for that cause Hymylco thei* sent, 4073
The mihti duk, ther noblesse to auauwce,
Which off Cartage hadde hool the gou^rnaunce.
OTt over'uie'sM And fot he muste passen bi the se
with a great Towatd Cecile, this noble worthi kniht, 4076
With hym he lad[d]e a ful gret enarme
4045. felenous] felons J. 4053. ther] \)at H.
4063. hymlliche R, Amllco P. 4071. taugment R.
4072. cause] cas H — thei] forth was B.
4076. this] the R — worthy noble H.
'MS. J. leaf 79 verso.
BK. Ill] The Wickedruss of Hanno, Duke of Carthage 443
Chose out of Cartage, in steel armyd briht,
Ther foon to conquere of verray force & myht.
But Fortune gan at hym so disdeyne, 4080
That to his purpos he neuer myht atteyne.
Ground & gynnyng of his destruccioun, S,"m^"t^the
To be remembrid shortli in sentence, — ^Us*l(5dTm
Ther fil of thair a gret corupcioun, 4084 di^from
Which that caused a ful gret pestilence
Among his meyne, be vnwar violence.
And sodeyn myscheef that is upon hym fall, —
He loste almost his worthi knihtis all. 4088
Nih al his peeple was slayn in that moreyn, hoic^w""'°^
That with a fewe beleft of his meyne, HiSucl^aj
Infortunat he tumede is ageyn »iai? ^y ■»'»
Hom to Cartage; and thei of the cite, 4092
Al causeles, of hasti cruelte.
Hath slayn ther duk, as Bochaj doth compile.
Loo, who may truste Fortune any while !
[How heynon due of Cartage was dismembrid.] ^
AFFTIR whos deth anon \>er gan succeede 4096 caX^^"'" °^
A mihti duk ^at callid was Haynoun, '^^ *° ^^
Which purposed for to chaunge in deede
His name of duk, bi fals ambicioun.
And to be callid thoruhout the myhti toun, 4100
Kyng of Cartage; and therupon of pride
To fynde out weies he felli gan prouyde.
He was nat content a duk men sholde hym calle, ^^i^^onghx.
But of Cartage for to be namyd kyng, 4104 yr^btu^'^
And lik his purpos that it sholde falle.
Fro day to day the menys compassyng.
How he myht fulfiUe this vnkout[h] thyng.
For to be crownid an[d] regnen in that lond. 4108
And atte laste this mene weie he fond:
4085. that] om. R.
4091. tumede] tumy H.
4094. ther] this R.
4097. Hannon P.
4icx>. the] that R.
4108. crownid] crowned kjmg R.
* MS. J. leaf 80 recto
444 Hanno's Plot to poison the Senators \bk, hi
He had a
young
daughter ^^ haddc a douhtir yonge & tendir of age,
Wed\o'"ive Which of the peeple stood in gret fauowr;
in marriage to And he hvni caste to viue hir in mariage 4112
the son of a _ i -i * r
senator, lo a yong kniht, sone ot a senatOMr,
Which in the cite was a gret gouernowr.
And that his purpos myhte been atteyned,
Day of the mariage & tyme was ordeyned. 4116
the^ occasion^ 1°' And in his paleis, cheefF and princepal,
royal banquet, This saidc duk leet make his ordenauwce
To holde a feeste ful solempne & roial,
And with gret costis made his purueiauwce 4120
Of sondry deyntes, which that in substauwce
Wer necessarie in alle man^r thyng
Vnto the feeste of a worthi kyng.
[nvked^aiuhe He gaf in charge vnto his purueiowrs, 4124
senators, That al wet redi ageyn a certeyn day;
And to his feeste cam al the senatowrs
Duellyng in Cartage; ther durste no man* sey nay.
And of his purpos to make no delay, 4128
Thouh his fraude was nat apparceyued,
He caste that day sumwe sholde be deceyued.
"olson"thlm; He conceyued in his inward entent,
that^the"''' He to be kyng and regnen in Cartage; 4132
would never The senatowr[e]s wolde neuer assente
consent to make _, , , i i i
him king. lo chaunge ther custum nor ther old vsage.
He durste theroff vttre no langage,
Kepte hym secre withoute noise or souw, 4136
And fulli caste hym to proceede bi tresoun.
The nexte weie, he knew no bettir reed
To his desir, than pleynli to ordeyne
That of Cartage the senatowrs wer ded; 4140
Than wer he likli his purpos to atteyne
For to be crownid lord and souereyne,
So tacowplysshe his luste in alle thyng,
And in Cartage to regne as lord & kyng. 4144
4113. knihO a kniht B. 4114. gret] om. R.
41 19. holde3 helde R.
4121. Of] & H. 4124. in] a R.
4126. feeste] festis H.
4127. no man] non B, R, J, H 5, R 3.
4130. that day that R.
4133. neuer nat H.
4139. ban to his desire pleynly H.
4142. For] om. H.
BK. IIl3
Hannd's Plan miscarries
445
For yif the senat wer uttlrli destroied,
He sholde fynde no maner reslstence,
Wherbi his purpos sholde been encloied,
Nor dur sei nay to his magnificence;
For in the poraille ther was no difFence.*
And at this feeste he caste hym to proceede
Al his entent[e] to conclude in deede.
His oflGiceris he made to be sworn
To helpe destroie falsli be poisomi
The senatottrs, of whom I spak tofom.
And that ther vitaille & deyntes in foisoun.
And eek ther wynes, for short conclusioun,
Sholde with venym been intoxicat,
Thonih al the paleis, & spare non estat.
These officeres hadde a conscience
For tacomplisshe so horrible a thyng;
And secreli vnder gret prouidence
To the senat thei gaiF therof wamyng.
And whan thei knew this mortal compassyng
Off duk Haynoun, teschewen al affray,
Thei putte the weddjmg of prudence in delay.
Wherof this duk gan haue suspeciouw,
And of this mateer fill in a maner dreede;
Thouhte he wolde bi sum collusioun
Ageyn Cartage mor mortalli proceede,
And gan calle to helpe hym in his neede
Of Mauritayne a kyng of gret renoun.
With hym bi force to falle upon the tou«.
Made hym promys, to his auauwtage,*
For to make free destribucioun
Of [the] richessis, tresour and pillage,*
Which that he myht fynde* in the toun.
For vttir fyn of his entencioun
Was to destroie, of wilfu[l] cruelte,
The famous Cartage, the myhti strong cite.
[P- 195I
Once they were
destroyed, there
would be no
one left in
authority to
oppose his
4148 wishes.
He informed
415' his servants of
his intention
and instructed
them to put
poison in the
food and wine;
4156
4160
but their con-
science forbade
them to do
such a horrible
thing, and they
warned the
senators,
4164
who caused the
wedding to be
delayed.
Hanno became
A168 suspicious and
^ allied himself
with the king of
Mauretania,
4172
promising him
a share of the
pillage of the
town.
4176
4148. darif H.
4149. diflFence3 difFerence B.
4150. this] the R.
4155. that] om. H — in foisoun] infuson R, bi foisoun H.
4161. secretly H.
4173. auauntages B, R, H, H 5.
4175. richesse H — pillage] pillages B, J, P, H 5, H, R, R 3.
4176. myht fynde] fynde{) B.
446 Hanno is hewn in Pieces [byl. hi
ShirfofcM°' Of al the thrallis in the touw duellyng, 4180
rf Cartha"f"rl ^"*^ swich as wer[e] born of louh lynage,
tired to his' To sttengthc his parti, this was his werkyng:
He made hem alle, bi mortal fals outrage,
Withynwe the myhti castell of Cartage 4184
To keepe hem cloos, of maHs & envie
Ageyn the cite hymsilfF to fortefie.
?aYni\he^' *" '" ^^^ ^^ ^^^ nouht I the myhti senatowrs
senate held the Therof wer warc,* and of hih prudence 4188
king of Maure- ' iii-ri ii
tania in check, Ageyn* his maus and al his lais robbowrs
Hanno and his Thei made hem strong, and thoruh ther prouidence.
In especial tordeyne a diffence.
First on ther parti to lette the komyng 4193
Of Mauritayne the stronge cruel kyng.
And of assent thei list[e] nat dellaye.
But roos attonys, and bi gret ordenaunce
Ther false duk to venquisshe and outraie, 4196
Hym and his cherlis thei brouhte to vttrauwce,
Fill upon hym with a gret puissauwce,
And fynalli, proceedyng off resouw.
This was his doom, bauys of al the toun: 4200
hVs garment" a°nd F^rst, of this duk as it is tcmembrid,
hewed him in fjg ^v^^s dispoiUcd, his doublct eek vnlacid,
loynt fro ioynt hewen and dismembnd,
And from his hed his eyen out arraced. 4204
And riht as he hadde afForn compassid
To haue destroied his owne myhti touw,
As ye han herd, [he] resceyued his guerdoun.
^ Lenvoye.
rich and mighty ' I ^HIS tfagedic doth pitousH cowpleyne, 4208
&a?thage were -■- And maketh a maner lamentacioun
Sh^ut^Jau^? Of thes riche myhti princis tweyne,
Slayn in Cartage, as maad is menciouw.
Causeles the ton,* sauf bi thoccasioun, 4212
That pestilence in his froward viage
Slouh al his peeple, that wer born in Cartage.
4188. wer ware3 war B, R, J.
4189. Ageyns B, Geyn J. 4197. chorlis R, Chorlis H.
4205. afForn as he had H. 4210. myhti riche R.
4212. tonj toun B, J, town<r {om. the) R.
pieces.
BK. Ill]]
A Chapter on Covetoustuss
447
Fortune also gan frowardli disdeyne
Ageyn this riche mihti duk Haynoun, 4216
Whan he of malis gan mortalli ordeyne
The senatoi^rs to moordren of his toun.
At his feeste hi crafFt of fals poisoun.
As ye han herd rehersid his outrage. 4220
He was ageynward dismembrid in Cartage.
Who doth vengaunce, vengaunce shal attejrne,
In ech estaat, withoute excepcioun,
And who of pite vengaunce doth restrejoie, 4224
He shal of merci resceyue the guerdoun:
For riht requereth, of trouthe & of resoun,
Cruel princis shal haue for ther wage
Deth, lik this duk, dismembrid in Cartage. 4228
Noble Princis, doth your besi peyne [p. 196]
For to preserue fro rebellioun
The comoun peeple, which stant in noun certeyne.
With eueri wynd tumyng up-so-doun, 4232
Afftir Fortune thei chaunge affeccioun,
Tumyng ther hertis with trist or glad visage,
Lik as the peeple dide whilom in Cartage.
the other for
his malice and
deceit.
He who doe»
vengeance shall
reap vengeance,
and he who
restrains his
hand for mercy
shall receive
mercy's reward.
Noble Princes,
do your best
to keep the
fickle common
people from
rebellion.
9 Thauctour a-geyn couetous Peple.^
NATURE \>at is content wit^ litil thyng.
The wise, war, J)e circumspect goddesse,
Which vnd^r God in heuen aboue regnyng,
This world to goueme is callid themperesse,
Mooder of richessis, the first founderesse.
Which cerchid out bi hir artificeres
The straunge tresowrs hid in the myneres.
This noble ladi, this princesse most famous,
Knowyng of man thunkouth condiciouns,
Sauh bexperience richessis wer noious, —
In hym teclipse the disposiciouns.
And conveie his inclynaciouns
Bi a wrong weie vertu to sette aside,
How couetise was a ful pereilous guide.
4221. He] And H.
4234. or] & R.
4238. above in hevene H. 4239. This] The R.
4247. conveie] conveyne R. 4249. perilous R.
^ The same beading in J, 80 verso.
,-,/; The wise
4230 Goddess of
Nature, empress
of the world
and mother of
wealth, first laid
up treasures in
mines.
4240
4244
She knew the
evils of
covetousness
4248
448
A Chapter on Covetousness
[|bk. Ill
trived out of
desire for gain.
byVwch"'en F^t auarisc, to al vertu cowtralre,
deivi"In'the° '^^^ grcdi wcrm, the serpent vnstaunchable,
earth for treas- Man to be-traisshc with promyses debonaire,
At prime face soote and agreable,
Tauht hym of nature bi craft most deceyuable,
Thoruh sotil serchyng, as it wer for the nonys,
First out of erthe to delue precious stonis.
^ughrfOT InT Of riche myneris thei serche the entrailles,
ships with their Yq fynde out metalUs for worldU auauwtages,
broad sails con- -^ ,,.. -ii i i -ii
Contryued shippis with ther brode sanies
Bi dyuers sees to make ther passages.
And couetise ordeyned first viages,
Caused princis ride in londis ferre,
Ech ageyn other for to gynwe a werre.
bl^^nYo*r Off auarice gan first thes robberies,
avarice; robbery, ^^ait of brlgauntls and al cxtort pillages,
murder, and ° i-i-
extortion Moordre, slauhtre & couert briberies,
Of old contreuid, furious fel damages,
Wrouht awd acheuid in al maner ages.
Now in thes dales, lat set it at a preefF,
Fals couetise caused al swich myscheeflF.
spring from
covetousness.
She was first roote of fals extorsiouw.
To spoile the peeple, mooder of rauyne,
And sterere up* of oppressioun:
To take bi force, this was hir doctrine.
And as myn aucto«r doth pleynll determyne
And concludeth in ful pitous wise,
Roote of al euil is fals couetise.
4252
4256
4260
4264
4268
4272
4276
the nurse
of strife,
mistress of
wilful violence,
rebellion and
the subversion
of realms.
She was eek notice of contek & of strifF,
Malstresse of moordre and wilful violence,
Maad men to iuparte boodi, good & lyflF, 4280
Caused discencioun and disobedience,
Gruchchyng of comou«s, withdrauht of reu^rence,
BI rigerous constreynt sodeyn rebelllouns.
Rumour in rewmys, unwar subuerslouws. 4284
4250. to] is to.
4252. promyses] promysse R.
4257. myneris] mines P — serche] serche out H, R, J.
4264. thes] the R. 4265. pillagies R.
4273. up] first B, H 5, R 3, H. {The reading in R, R 2, and
Sloane is up).
4278. was] is R, J.
BK. Ill]
A Chapter on Covetousness
449
There is no
remedy for.it*
thirst, though it
swim in the
floods with
Tantalus or live
in Midas' well.
It causes men
to fear thieves
and to start at
the noise of
small creatures
at night, and
to stand ever
in despair and
dread lest their
possessions fail
them, — most
greedy when
they most
abound in
wealth!
This froward dragoun ful of idropesie,
Whos fretyng etik ther may no plente feede,
To staunche his thrust ther is no remedie:
The mor he drynketh, the mor he hath ay neede; 4288
And the mor tresour, the mor he stant in dreede.
With Tantalus thouh he swymme in the floodis,
In Migdas well pleyneth for lak of goodis.
This werm eek causeth that men in ther richesse 4292
Haue dreed of theuys a-nyht in ther wakyng;
And yif thei heere on cofFre, bed or presse.
Cat, rat or mous, or any werm meuyng,
He weneth anon, withynne hymsilf deemyng, 4296
That ther wer kome, with gret apparaille.
Sum vnkouth pilowr his tresottr to assaille.
The woful soule stondeth euere in dreede,
And ay abideth in labour & trauaille, 4300
And of the goodis, which he doth posseede,
Fallith* in dispeir list thei wolde hym faille.
Tween hope and dreed ther is swich a bataille,
Thoruh entermynyng* ech other to confounde, 4304
To be most gredi wha« thei most habounde.
Hope vnassurid with dreed[e] disespeired [p. 197]
Meetyng in hertes make a ful mortal werre.
Whan hope presumeth, with dreed he is appeired, 4308
And lik a coward makith hym stonde aferre,
Dul of his cheer as is a cloudi sterre,
Which dar nat shewe the liht of his tresowr,
But euer tencrece set hooli his laboz^r. 4312
He thar nat touche thyng that he loueth most,* touch'uTe^ *°
His cofres cloos be shet so vndir keye, "^^^ •}' ^°l^^
-' ' above all other
Thouh he hath mekil, he makth therof no host, things, and
T r \ ' 111 ■ complaming of
Lest tor his tresowr men wolde hym werreie, — 4316 poverty lest he
Pleyneth for neede, lik as he wolde deie, ^
4285. dropesye R, hidropsie P.
4287. his thrust] his thrust this thrust R.
4291. Migdas] Midas P — well] wellis H, welth P.
4293. wakyng] walkyng R.
4302. Fallith] Falle B.
4303. a] om. R, P.
4304. entermynyng] vndirmyn>Tig B, (entermynyng J, en-
tyrmenyng H 5, entremynyng R, entirmynyng H, R 3, in-
termining P).
4306. dispeired R.
4307. Meetyng] mee^'\•ng H.
4313. thar] dar R,H — most] best B. 4315. have H.
Hope and
Dread meeting
in hearts make
mortal war, and
Hope becomes
a coward.
450 A Chapter on Covetousness [|bk. hi
Feyneth fals pouert to sparen his dispence,
Oppressyng plente with froward indigence.
ThMw^re" And thouh his chestis happid be with gold, 4320
heaped with With iren barris faste shet & closid,
gold, scarcity ^ '
rules his house- Fals scatsete gouerneth his houshold.
That be non excesse he is nat vndisposid,
His indigent herte so streihtli is enosid 4324
To Herebus heir; and yit weel wers in deede,
In grettest richesse to compleyne vpon neede.
?ound"to " This Herebus hath of iren, nat of ston,
Erebus, ia Yox auatice bilt a foul cite, 4328
whose iron city i rr- • to "
turns ixion'g Whcr-as the wheel tourneth ofr Ixion
wheel, under the , , , , , , , . « _,, . ,
guard of Vndir the boundis 01 1 hesiphone,
Tisiphone; whercxTTi rj ' -i ^ r
Sisyphus labours W her Zeziphus may neuer a day go tre,
sTone.'^'^'' '"* But with his ston contynuelli trauaileth, 4332
And the mor besi, his labour lest auaileth.
Thus auarice, to ve[r]tu most contrarie,
Fouwde among vices ful contagious,
Euer bisi the restles ston to karie, 4336
Now up, now douw, with weri Zeziphus,
Whos endles labour braideth on Theseus,
Which heeld the bridel of frutles bisynesse,
Condempned in helle to lyue in idilnesse. 4340
STboitiSn Off couetise the cruel maryner
who°^ll°8"th"*' ^^ callid C[h]aron, whiche wit^ Flegonte,
flood of Acheron. Bi many a streiht & many fel dauwgeer
Sailleth in the floodis of furious Acheronte, 4344
Vnder that dirked and cloudi orizonte,
Wher auarice ches whilom nigardshipe
For tresoureer his cofres for to keepe.
Tov«ou°menL Fitst to declate the labour in gadryng 4348
gathering weaith,Of coueitous men, as it is in deede,
their fear for ... , -i i
its safety, and And couwtitpeise how thet Streiht keepyng
their sorrow t • i • i i i i
when they must Is cuet meyut With importable dreede,
are^ the thw"' Sotwc at depattyng, for ther mortal meede, 4352
c«berul. Which may be callid, of trouthe & equite.
Of Cerberus the wakir hedis thre.
4320. happid] hepid H, happed R, J, heped P.
4324. enosid R, enoisid H. 4325. Erebus P.
4330. theophone R. 4331. Sisipnus P.
4334. Thus] This H. 4337- up] vp and R.
4342. Phlegonte P. 4343. fel] a fell H.
BK.
iiO
A Chapter on Covetousness
451
The firste hed is vnstaunchable desir
Off worldli goodis gret richessis to atteyne.
The mor encres, the hatter is the fyr;
The seconde hed is the dreedful peyne,
Which in keepyng, his herte doth constreyne;
Vnwar departyng, that sodenH doth falle,
Is the thridde hed, that greueth most of all.
This waker werm, that berth these hedis thre.
Is callid the werm of gredi couetise,
Whos bisi constreynt, restles perplexite
TroubleJ) the soule in ful furious wise.
Which froward monstre, pleynli to deuise,
Braideth on Idra, of whom poetis seyn.
On hed kit of, ther growe thre ageyn.
Euere at the tail of plente and richesse
Of custum folweth gruchchyng & envie;
For he that hath of tresour gret richesse
Is seelde glad, as for his partie.
Thus bothe tweyne stonde in iupartie:
The riche with plente halt hym nat appaied.
And the nedi with pouert is affraied.
And yit in pouert is ful gret sekimesse.
Which is a tresot^r that no man wil assaille.
And as myn auctottr Bocha/ berth witnesse,
Amyclates among[es] the poraille
Leued in pes, seur from al bataille,
Heeld hym content with swich as God hym sente.
Whan riche wer armyd & to the werre wente.
Vertuous pouert stant euer in sekir caas.
To wach his hous [he] hath ful litil neede;
But proude Pompeie assegid in Duras,
For feer of lulius stood in gret[e] dreede.
But peeplis rude take heerof non heede, —
Swich as reioysshe hem for to sheede blood,
In straunge werris wrongli to gete good.
Stories olde ful weel reherse kunne
Diuers studies of folkis heer mortal.
First how Diogenes was content in his tonne,
In which he made his loggyng pryncepal,
4356. richesse R. 4379. Amiclas P.
4383. sekir] secre R. 4384. ful] but R 3, P.
4391. folk R, folke P.
4356
4360
And the
serpent that
bears these
three heads is
4364 the monster of
greedy
covetousness,
who troubles
the soul and if
like the Hydra.
4368
Behind wealth
follows envy.
The rich man
is seldom glad.
4372
4376
And yet, in
poverty is great
security.
Amyclas lived
in peace among
the poor, while
the rich were
armed and
4380 went forth to
war.
4384
Proud Pompey,
besieged by
Qesar, lived
in great fear;
but rude folk
have
little dread
of such
adventures.
4388
[p. 198]
4392
Diogenes was
more content
in his tun
than Croesus
with his over-
flowing coffers;
452 A Chapter on Covetousness [bk. hi
And sauh the cours aboue celestial,
Lyued gladdere amonges philisophres,
Than kyng Cresus, with al his stuffed cofFres. 4396
?r" I'sure,''" '''' And yifF men wolde onto mynde call
Sardanapaius ^\y^ grete ttiyscheuys folwyng on h abundance,
came to an evil ..*=>. i r i i i o i ii
end. Sophodius, And thynlclel also how bardanapali,
who had but „ i i • i r i i
a garden of i^ OX al his tresouf, kam [unjto myschauwce, 4400
a*iway8gtad and And how Sophodius, potest in substauwce,
rjbw ^"" °^ Hadde but a gardyn ful of leekis greene.
And riht nouht ellis hymseluen to susteene.
This philisophre was euer glad & liht; 4404
Ther was no wach maad aboute his tOMr[e]s.
Ful seurli slept he al the longe niht,
Hauyng no dreed of theuys ne robboMr[e]s.
In somer walkyng among the fressh[e] floMr[e]s, 4408
And in cold wyntir, ful myrili & ofte
On drye strauh he lay and slepte softe.
deTred"**"' Cyncynatus, a poore laboreer,
ditches for a^ Fowede dikcs to gete his sustenauwce, 4412
with little, Withoute gruchchyng, euere glad of cheer
nature was his _, , • i • o • i •
guide. Bothe m his port & m his contenauwce,
Dempte he hadde as moche suffisance
To his plesauwce, as Cresus kyng of Lide; 4416
Content with litil; Nature was his* guyde.
^ovcrty 'his*^'' This pootc man, in his pouert assurid,
heart was at With Htil foode, & clothcs but a fewe,
ease. He did , o i i • j
not care to live Hadde hcttis ese & giadsum pes recund; 4420
means. '* It liked hym nat ouer his hed to hewe.
Which thyng conceyued cleerli doth us shewe,
That ioious pouert conueied with gladnesse,
Gruchchyng auoided, surmounteth al richesse. 4424
And if people And yif that folk koude considre a-riht
considered what J ^ irii'
they endure for Thct pitous sihhes, thet thouhtiul bisynesses,
would also Ther woful labours, ther litil slep aniht,
transi'tory'ls all Which thci endute for worldli fals richessis, 4428
earthly power. ^^ j ^f ^habidyng, the dreedful sekirnessis, —
4399. Sardnapalle R.
4400. untol to R.
4410. softe] full sofFte R, ful softe J, H 5, ful soft P.
4412. Fowede] Made P — his] om. H. 4417- his] hir B.
4424. auoided] avoyed R — surmountyng H.
4426. thouhtful] rouhtfuU R.
4428. fals worldly R.
BK. Ill] A CbapUr on Covetousmss 453
Which thynges peised and callid to memorie:
Al erthli poweer is double & transitorie.
And hi stories, which that be credible, 4432 Sra^^»b^ding;
To preue ther poweer is nat abidyng, of N^iSdia^ft^
But, at a poynt, slydyng and falHble: ?o<i ^^ himsdf
Whilom Masmyssa of Munydie kyng, for fear of
■-r<i -I ■ I ■ 1 r • , Siphax and ate
1 hat was so mihti, bi record 01 wntyng, 4436 roots, whUe
For feer of Siphax, onli his lifF to saue, uS^and""^
Fledde into mounteyns & hidde hym in a caue. ^unfh'hls" ^
And ther* he fond[e] but ful smal vitaille,
Constreyned narwe of indigence & neede,. 4440
Whan other deyntes, in myscheefF, gan hym faille,
He gadred rootis and eet hem in his dreede;
Eek proude Xerses kyng of Perse and Mede
Drank blood and water to staunche his gredi
thrust, 4444
Dreed and trauaille gaff hym so gret a lust.
Yit suwme men wolde seyn, of auenture romc°"mek"ay
Thei wer compellid ageyn ther volunte, TOver^%a»
Thes kynges tweyne, swich myscheeff to endure, 4448 ^"^. "??"
Maugre ther wil[le], of necessite;
For casuel chauns rafft hem ther liberte.
So that the rigoi^r off this* sodeyn rage
Cam in be constreynt, and of no corage. 4452
But for al that, folk in ther pouerte J^rStwho
On grete metis that hemseluen feede 1!^°^"^
Ben also strong, as hool and fair to see, ftron? and
A J 1 1 • • J J ^ '°°8 lived as
And also lusti preuid at a neede, 4456 one could wish.
Vpriht of lymes ther ioumes for to speede, n^ excL^°*°"^
As long lyued, the cause to expresse.
Is onli this: thei do non excesse.
To* poore men the beste medecyne 4460 bt'f^ididn'f
Is due labour with moderat abstynence, aS^of^Sic'^''
Good hair in feeldis whan PhebttJ list to* shyne, fields. They
Voidyng dirke mystis that cause pestilence; physicians or
Of heuy stomak thei feele no violence, 4464 *^ =<=*"«»•
4430. thyng R.
4435. Masinissa P — Munedy H, Numydye R 3, Numidy P.
4439. ther] thus B.
4446. men] om. H — seyn] fayne R.
4448. myscheeflT] om. R. 4451. this] ther B.
4455. as]om. R, J. 4458. the] to R.
4460. To] The B — the] bi R.
4462. list to] doth B — to] om. H,
454 Evagoras, King of Cyprus []bk. hi
Thei nat enriche lechis nor poticaries,*
ThemsilfF to saue with vnkouth letuaries.
7ub%ct'to*aU But folkis riche werkyn the contrarie,
Jh"y eittrtw^en ^^^^^ iH hem causeth malladies stronge; 4468
meals and live For ther dietFc] eueri day thei varie
unhealthy lives. •_,. , . . , -' , .
With dyuers metis, and ther sittyng longe.
And with al this, ther appetitis wronge,
Take out of tyme, which thei may nat endure, 4472
Which bi custum oppressith ther nature.
S^s'thaTpot- ^^^ t^»"s myn auctowr, shortli to deuise, [p. 199]
erty borne with Seith how glad pouett stant most in sekirnesse.
contentment 's. ■./.,,, -ii
most secure, andAnd of al cuel, he seith, how couetise 4476
that covetous- y - i • i r i • i
ness with Is tootc & gtouwd, With lals cxtott Hchesse,
extorted wealth t> • ^ • j j • i
is the root of Kiot annexid, engendryng gret siknesse,
au evil. Theron concludyng, how moderat diete
Set soule and bodi in temporat quiete. 4480
[How Enagora kyng of Cipre was bi Artaxerses
outraied/ and put from his kyngdam.] ^
STp"*s.'''"^ Tj^OLWYNG in ordre the processe of Bochas,
Bc^hal'^with ^^ ^^ remembreth next in his writywg,
eyes blinded by To hym appeetedc, rehersyng ^us \)e cas,
Enagora, that was of Cipre kyng, 4484
His eyen derkid be manyfold weepyng,
Because he hadde loste that riche lond,
Which he toforn hadde conquered with his hond.
hi8rkh''kilgdoni,'r^''^ ^°"^ °^ Cipre, as maad is menciouw, 4488
b''metab°and' ^^ dyuers metallis is passyngli habouwde,
lies far to the Hath of Hchcsse gret plente and foisoun;
And of his siht[e], lik as it is fouwde,
It stant fer south, with many hilles rounde, 4492
And hath also many comwodites
Withynne his bouwdis off toun[e]s & cites.
4465. poticaries^ apoticarles B.
4468. hem] hem silf R.
4474. to] om. R. 4475. how that R.
4478. gret] long R.
4480. temporat] moderat R.
4484. Cipre] Egipt H — Euagoras P. 4485. be] wi'ti H.
4487. he toforn hadde] to forn he H.
4491. site J, R3.
^ MS. J. leaf 82 recto.
BK. IIl3
The Fate of Tbeo^ King of Egypt
455
4500
Touchyng this Cipre I can no mor seie.
Of which[e] lond Enagora was kyng,
Til he gan proudli for to werreie
With Lacedemonoys, ther parti sustenyng,
Geyn Artaxerses; & at ther meetyng
The said Enagora was brouht to outraunce,
Put from his kyngdam & from al gou^maunce.
[How Theo kyng of Egipt bi Artaxerses was dryven
from his kyngdam and fledde in to Arabia.] ^
^ Next Enagora kam the kyng Theo,
Of al Egipt long tyme pocessowr;
And to lohn Bochaj he gan* declare his wo, 4504
How Fortune dide hir froward labour.
And from hym drouh hir frenshepe and fauowr,
And sodenli thoruh hir iniquite
She cast this kyng doun from his roial see. 4508
She list hir malis from hym nat diiFerre,
Ne wolde nat suffre hym to lyue in pes,
But caused hym to gynne a froward werre
Ageyn the said myhti Artaxerses, 4512
Wenyng therbi taue had a gret encres, —
Gadred shippes and made a gret arme
In his entent tamette hym on the se.
To Lacedemonois he was fauourable, 4516
Sent hem vessellis stufl&d with vitaille,
Dempte of pride that hymsilff was able
With Artaxerses to holden a bataille.
But hasti trust doth foolis ofte faille, 4520
For this Theo was aftir anon riht
Dryue out of Egipt and Iput to fliht.
Artaxerses pursuede hym so sore,
Tofom his face he durste nat appeere, — 4524
Fledde in Tarabie, myn auctowr seith no more;
Ban[y]shed fro Egipt, dedli of face & cheere.
And of his fate who-so list to lere,
He was depryued fro kyngli dignite 4528
And bi Fortune cast from his roial see.
4496. Euagoras P.
4502. Euagoras P. 4504. gan] gan to B — wo] om. R.
4508. kyng] thyng R — his] hir H.
4515. tamette] to mete H. 4520. often R.
4525. in to Arabye H, J, into Araby R 3, P — no more] nat
nomore R. 4528. kyngli] knyhtly H.
1 MS. J. leaf 82 recto. No break in text B.
I can say no
more about it;
4406 ^"^ Evagoras
^^^ was conquered
by Artaienes
and put from
his realm.
Theo, who once
ruled all Egypt,
declared to John
Bochas, that
Fortuna
wickedly cast
him down
from his throne,
inciting him to
make war on
Artaxerzes
in aid of the
Spartans.
But fools often
fail in their
hasty con-
fidence;
and, beaten, he
fled into
Arabia.
456 Amyntas and his wicked Wife Eurydice Qbk. hi
[How Am3mta of Macedoyne Iqmg had by Erudice
his wif, Alisaundre, Perdica, & Philip, that were
slayn.] ^
Wng"of Mace- A ^^ among Other, ther fatis compleynyng,
of Afexa"rfder^" -^HL THoruH Fortunis drccdful violence,
had four Thcr Cam Amynta, of Macedoyne kyng, 4532
cnilQrcn, i\lcx~ a 1 t 1 t*> 1 1 1 1 *
ander, And to lohn Boch^j- shewed his sentence.
And to declare his magnificence,
To Alisaundre grauwfader in his lifF,
Hauyng foure childre be Erudice his wiff. 4536
Phifip'by'hii The firste of hem was Alisandre Icallid,
wife Eurydice. ^.nd Pcrdica namyd the seconde.
The thridde Phelipp, in Macedoyne stallid,
Kynge of Grece, lik as it is fouwde, 4540
Which in richessis gretli dide habouwde,
And was eek fader, this noble werreiowr,
To Alisaundre the myhti conquerot^r.
thrchi°ef '^ ^^^ O'" "^y^ auctowr ferther doth proceede, 4544
of the seven f^g makth in maner a digressions
provinces of i-i
Greece From his matcer, lik as ye may reede,
And gynneth in ordre a descripcioun
Of Macedoyne, the famous regioun, 4548
Among Greekis writ in especiall.
Of seuene provynces it is the princepall.
froti'thV^jEgean -^"^ SO ptocedyng, he seith how that contre
Dalmatia Strcchchith his bouwdis aboute hym enviroun 4552
Toward the se which callid is Egee,
Foorth be Achaia toward septemptryoun.
And to Messie westward it goth doun;
And who that can bi crafte the coostis caste, 4556
To Dalmacia the name therof doth laste.
u Vn M3on. In Macedoyne, he doth us also lere, [p. 200]
h"1i 'that"' ^^ Olympus stant the gret mouwteyn;
neither the wind And in that kyngdam is many gret mynere 4560
rains fall on its Of gold and silucr, lik as bookis seyn.
summit. ^^j ^^ ^j^^^ j^jll j^ neuer wynd nor reyn;
4532. Amintas P.
4536. Euridice P. 4538. Perdicas P.
4541. Richesse H, Riches R 3, P. 4S44._ doth] do H.
4547, 48 are transposed in B, correction indicated.
4554. septentrioun R. 4557- Dalmatia P.
4562. neuer] nouthir R.
1 MS. J. leaf 82 recto.
BK. Ill] Amyntas and bis wicked Wife Eurydicg
457
4S76
For thilke mounteyn so hih[e] doth atteyne,
That it may nouther blowe ther nor reyne.
The kjmg Amynta, of whom I spak tofom,
Hadde in Grece many gret bataille:
Olympiens in Macedoyne bom
And lUiriens, togidre he dide assaille.
Thoruh his wisdam he dide alway preuaill;
But with his enmys whil he stood most in strilF,
His deth was shapen bi Erudice his wiff.
Myn auctottr Bochaj of hir doth diffyne,
She imagynede his destruccioun,
Because she hadde another concubyne
On whom she sette al hir affeccioun.
Day set and tyme to his confusioun,
FuUi ordeyned, at a manage
He to be slayn bi oon of his lynage.
He hadde a suster callid Vrione,
Which prudentli espied the maneere
Of Erudice, and secreli allone
Goth to the kyng & told hym al ifeere.
And as the story in ordre tellith heere,
Thouh she faillede that day of hir emprise.
She thouhte fulfiUe it in a-nother wise.
This to meene, of hir iniquite.
Of hir fraude and fals imagynyng,
She was in cause thoruh hir contrariouste
Of the destruccioun of this* mihti kyng.
For the conclusioun of hir fals werkyng
Was to ha slayn the kyng & al his lyne.
She to haue regnede with hir concubyne.
But whan she sauh she myht[e] nat acheeve
Hir furious purpos bi non auenture,
Hir venymous malis upon hir lord to preeve.
On other parties she dide hir besi cure
Enmytes & myscheuys to procure
Ageyn the k)mg, bi mortal fel assaies,
With sorwe and trouble for to shorte his daies.
4565. Amyntas P. 4566. gret] strong H.
4579. suster] daughter P — Eurione P.
4580. maneere] mateer^ H, mateer R 3.
4581. Euridice P — secretly H. 4582. ifeere] in feere R.
4583. is misplaced at foot of column'^. 4584. day] om. R.
4587. hir] his H. 4589. this] ther B, R, J, P.
4591. to sla\Ti/ H. 4593. ascheve R.
4564
Amyntas fought
many victorious
battles against
the Oljrmptans
and the
lUyrians;
4568 but his de-
struction
was plotted by
Eurydice for
the sake of
a lover the had.
4S72
4580
45S4
Amyntas' sister
Urione, who
heard of
Eurydice's
intention, told
Amyntas, and
although her
plan failed,
Eurydice suc-
ceeded in
stirring up to
much enmity
and strife that
Amyntas' day*
were shortened.
4588
4592
4596
458
Amyntas' Grandson Philip goes to Athens [|bk. hi
For who can
escape
the malice of
subtile women?
No prince, alas,
can learn by
the experience
of others not to
trust himself to
Sirens.
Amyntas
lived in sorrow
and dread; and
when he grew
old he called
his eldest son
Alexander to
the throne, who
made peace
with Athens
and sent his
young son
Philip thither
as a hostage.
Philip was
given into the
care of
Epaminondas,
one of the
most excellent
princes of his
time.
Niht and day his lyfF stood euere in dreed, 4600
Hym to be-tra[i]sshe she cast out hook & lyne.
And who is he that can or may take heed,
FreU tescape, teschewen or declyne
Malis of womwen, whan thei be serpentyne? 4604
Seeth an exauwple in this queen Erudice,
Void of al vertu and ful of eueri vice.
Alas, no prince caw be war be other,
To bridle ther noblesse vfith reynes of resoun, 4608
Swich as comwytte, alas, bothe ship & rother
Vnto Syrenes to rowe hem up and doun
Thoruhout Caribdis to ther destrucciouw.
Bi craft of Circes, alas, thei wer maad nyce, 4612
Blynd to remembre upon this Erudice!
Which made Amynta to lyue in sorwe & dreede,
To reste in pes sufFred hyw ha[ue] no space.
In thouht and trouble his lifF he gan to leede, 4616
Til be long processe deth hym gan manace;
Yit or he deide Fortune gafF hym grace,
His eldest sone bi wisdam to ordeyne,
Callid Alisandre, his crowne to atteyne. 4620
Thus Alisandre was his successowr;
For Thath[e]nienses gan ther rancour lete
Ageyn[e]s hym, for [he] with gret labour
Bi ther sufFrauwce cam to his roial seete. 4624
And for to sette his rewm in ful quiete.
First with Athenys, the stronge myhti* touw,
Prouided a pes, of hih discreciouw.
And for tauoide al ambiguite 4628
Of old debatis and of old outrage,
First he sente into that strong cite
His sone Phelipp, yong and tendir of age,
On pes assurid to lyn ther for hostage. 4632
And in that cite, the story berth witnesse.
He gan to growe vnto ful hih noblesse.
He was commytted to the disciplyne
Of a gret duk callid Epamynedouw, 4636
Which to al vertu his youthe made enclyne.
For of this duk lustyn maketh mencioun
4616. he] om. R. 4625. his] this R.
4626. stronge myhti] myhti stronge B, R, J, P.
4627. provide H. 4633. that] J>e H.
4636. Epaminondon r. 4637. youthe] om. R.
BK.
Ill]
The great Duke Epaminondas
459
Bi a maner recomendacioun,
Tofor nor aftir, as be his auys,
Was neuer no prince mor excellent nor wis.
First he comendith his vertuous corage, [p.
His hih noblesse, his knihtli excellence,
And be discent he born of hih lynage;
And in too th)mges concludeth his sentence,
Seith that he was of most magnifisence,
Egal to Mars be famous cheualrie.
And sone to Phebus thoruh hih philosophie.
And Bochfl/ heer doth his stile auaunce
Ful notabli with excellent langage.
And seith no tresour atteyneth in substaunce
To thilke richesse, auoidyng al outrage.
As whan ther is be bond of manage
Knette up a knotte atween thexcellence
Of famous knihthod and of Dame Prudence.
4640
'>r\t^ Justin savs that
2"^ J he was the
equal of Mars
in chivalry and
4644 » SO"* of Apollo
through his
high
philosophy.
4648
4652
4656
And Bochas
himself records
that no treasure
is so great as a
bond between
knighthood and
Dame
Prudence.
This knotte auaileth mor than gold in cofFre,
And is mor glorious perpetuelli tabide,
A myhti prince to been a philisophre.
Which can be prudence alle vices set aside, —
For whan to manhod prouydence is guide, 4660
And vertuous force is capteyn in the werre,
Lat men weel truste, that parti may nat erre!
This Epamynoda, of knihthod sustenowr,
Charboncle of vertu, as bookis telle konne, 4664
Of gentil maneres callid the famous flowr,
And of hih noblesse a verray worldli sonne,
Whos knihtli tryumphes be so hih up ronne
To Martis paleis, with the blissid souns 4668
Of Famis trompetis and goldene clariouns.
For he was callid the briht[e] cleer merowr
Of rihtful quarellis the parti [to] susteene.
Of extort wrongis most iust reformatour, 4672
Ay egal iuge, of entent most cleene,
Whiche neuer koude nothyng but trouthe meene,
Wolde of custum for hate nor alliaunce
On nouther parti declyne the ballaunce. 4676
4641. nor wis] of price H, of pryce P. 4643. knihtli]
vertuott/ R. 4648. hih] his H. 4649. heer] ther R.
4654. a] the R — thexcellence] excellence R.
4663. Epaminondas P. 4669. Famis] famottj R, P.
4671. to] otn. H. 4673. entent] ente R.
It avails far
more than gold.
Epaminondas,
flower of gentle
manners and
sun of high
noblesse.
sustained just
causes and
put wrongs to
right. He was
an equitable
judge and a
victorious
general who
laboured always
for the good of
the common-
weal.
him when he
died.
460 The noble Character of Epaminondas []bk. hi
And to comende his vertuous prowesse,
His preuyd tryuwphes, his magnanymyte,
His marcial actis, his knihtU bisynesse
In the getyng of many a strong cite, — 4680
And al his labowr was for the comouwte,
Which to augmente he wolde heuer cesse,
Swich ioie he hadde the comoun good tencrece.
weahh'he This was also his vsawnce ouermor: 4684
obtained he What-euer he gat to parte it in largesse;
distnbuted r^r ^ ^ • i l r -1
among his (ji gold ttor coign he sette but litil stoor,
and set but Fot al his hertc was sette on gentilesse
gold, always" Bi manli fredam, and, pleynli to expresse, 4688
a"ilt h?s He spared no good, it shewed weel in deede,
soldiers and fjig ttewe seruauntis to helpe hem in her neede.
leaving no '
treasure behind
He kepte nat in cofFres his tresowr.
Of his nature he was so liberall 4692
For to releue ech manh soudeowr,
Swich as wer preued in actis marciall.
And for to holde his feeste funerall,
Aftir his deth, his story maketh mynde, 4696
Thoruh fre departyng ther left no gold behynde.
iibert"?o{'lhe' AUe his offises & famous dignites
Greek cities ^j^j gret cmptises in his tyme wrouht,
and augmented ° . , _ ^ , . , i /^ • l •
their territories, Enctcsid frauwchiscs thoruh (jrece m his cities 4700
for himself, and With Ubcrtes bi his prudence out souht
hh\iie°i^ °"^ For comoun proffit, and for hymsilfF riht nouht,
With gret aumentyng of straunge teritories:
Al this cam in bi mene of his Victories. 4704
And among alle his knihtli excellences,
Bi dyuers auctoz^rs vnto mynde is brouht,
How al his lifF he studied in sciences
And upon konyng set hooli his thouht. 4708
Bi manli prowesse of deth he rouhte nouht:
That was shewed, as it is weel founde,
The day whan he resceyuede his dethis wouwde.
4683. comouns H.
.^r.. -[ n — .: u euermore P.
student of- the
sciences.
4683. comouns rl.
4684. ouermor] euermore R, evirmor^ H, >
4698. famous] knyhtly H.
4710. is] was H.
BK. Ill] Tbf nobU CbaracUr of Epaminondas
461
4720
[p.
He was horn bom vnto his pauyllioun,
Al his armure with blood steyned red,
And on a couch[e] bi his men leid doun.
And gan abraide as he lay half ded:
"Sires," quod he, "of o thyng taketh heed.
Hath any enmy this day in the feeld,
Whan I was woundid, taken up my sheeld ?"
And whan his knihtis hadde told hym nay,
Bi a maner of knihtli reioysshyng
He hem comaunded, withoute mor delay
To his presence that thei sholde it bryng.
And therupon ful pitousli Xookyng,
Ful lik a kniht, & with a mortal cheere
He kissid it, and seide as ye shal heere:
"Thou wer my felawe in armys [and] my
brother,
That neuer woldest my felaship forsake,
Seur and abidyng, ther was nat swich a-nother,
In eueri ioume that I did vndirtake.
To me wolcome, an eende I mut now make.
Aftir my deth my soule shal ha[ue] plesaunce,
The to be kept yet for a remembraunce."
AiFom his deth[e], it is put in mynde.
The same hour, it cam to his memorie
To enquere, he lefft nat behynde,
"Ha|ue] we," quod he, "this day hadde* victorie?
Or in the feeld who hath the palme of glorier"
He praied his knihtis that day he sholde deie.
The pleyn[e] trouthe that thei wolde hym seie.
And thei hym tolde platli al the cas.
How his parti hadde wonne the feeld of myht;
And with that woord he so reioysshed was.
That he his sperit yolde anon vpriht.
And so he deide lik a worthi kniht.
In whom is shewed what vailleth, in sentence,
Noblesse of knihthod iojTied with prudence.
4714. leid] lay H.
4730. welcom R, H.
4736. this day hadde] hadde this day B, H 5 — this day qwod
he hadde J>e victon'e H, R 3 {om. ^e) — hadde] had the R.
4737. who hath] had R.
4738. that] the H, P.
4743. vp anoon^riht H, anon vpriht B, H 5, R 3, R, J, anone
vpright P.
Without fear
4712 of death, on the
day he received
his last wound
and was borne
with Wood-
stained armour
to his tent, his
4716 only question
was, "Did my
shield fall into
the hands of
the enemy?"
And when his
knights assured
him that it had
not, he com-
manded it to be
brought to his
presence, and
said,
4724
"Thou wert my
comrade in
'70'»1 arms: after my
■^^■^i death it wiU
please my soul
to know that
4728 thou art
kept for a
remembrance."
4732
His last
question was,
"Have we
had victory thi*
day?"
4736
„ And when told
4/4° that his army
had won the
field, he died
like a worthy
knight.
4744
462 The Fate of the Tyrant Haman {bvl. hi
hi's'°e"adi;ng, And bi the mene of his wis doctryne,
fa'thir ^s°'^ Phelipp, that lay with hym in hostage, 4748
slain by his Qan cncrecc in knihtU disciplyne,
mother) grew in ,_- . ., , .
knighthood and Wex in vcrtu Tiht as he wex m age.
\Yhos fader was be furious outrage
(Callid Alisandre, as maad is menciouw,) 4752
Slayn bi his mooder be couert fals tresouw.
and"r'f death, Afftit whos deth[e], Perdica in deede,
Perdiccas, his Tht yonget brother, the story doth deuise,
younger brother, , i ii- j
came to the lo the ctowne gan lynealli succeede; 4756
throne, and he . , « . . ~ , . .
too was slain. Auott slayu aitit in tul cruel wise,
Swich fals[e] moordre ech man sholde agrise,
As ye han rad[de], first of Amynta,
Of Alisaundre and of kyng Perdica. 4760
[Ho[w] the proude tirant Aman was honged and
tiie Innocent preserued.] ^
Haman, a false /T-SHE hortiblc fall fuHOUs for to tecdc,
tyrant and an I r r »
Assyrian by^_ ±_ That folwcth aft^f of Jjc gtet Aman,
governor under A ful fals tirauwt fouwd iu thouht & deedc,
Ahasuerus. ai cii a*± ^
And was ot berthe an Assyrian,* 4764
Which, as the Bible ful weel reherse kan.
Was cheefF maister, as men may ther* conserne,
With Assuerus his peeple to gouerne.
lioiien^witr* His herte was exaltid hih in pride, 4768
pride, and it Xo goddis pecple most contrarious,
pose to destroy His hatful venym he list nat for to hide,
the Jews and -r* i-i • i- •
their law. But Ilk z tirauwt most malicious.
Of wilful rancowr, fell and despitous, 4772
FuUi purposed, and koude hym nat withdrawe.
To destroye the lewes and ther lawe.
Granted To his entent he gat auctorite
authority, he . , „ , .,
Bent out letters gj j^is fals[e] sotil compassyng: 4776
commanding all , . i
the people of bent out letttcs luto cch contre
down^to°him? Thoruhout al Perse be biddyng of the kyng.
That hih and low, withynwe that lond duellyng, —
No wiht except, — that peeplis al aboute 4780
Sholde vnto Aman obeie, kneele and loute.
4754. Perdicas P.
4764. an Assyrian] a Macedonyan B, H, R, J, R 3, H 5.
4766. as men may ther] who can weel B, R, J.
4768. exaltid was H. 4773. purposed] disposid R.
1 MS. J. leaf 83 verso.
BK. Ill]
The Fate of the Tyrant Hainan
463
This was the biddyng of kyng Assuer,
Whan queen Vasti was uoided for hir pride,
And Hester chose, a maide most enteer,
Was brouht to court with the kyng tabide.
Which hadde in youthe for to been hir guyde
A worthi lew callid Mardoche,
Withynne Susis a large fair cite,
Bi whos counsail eueri thyng she wrouhte,
Passyng fair and of gret meeknesse.
And whan the eunukis to the kyng hir brouhte,
She was accepted for hir gret faimesse
Vnto his grace, hir story berth witnesse.
And ther cherisshed in especial!
Boue al the maidenes in the court roiall.
And of al Perse she was Icrownid queen,
A pes comaundid thoruh al tho regiouns
Duryng the feeste, that men myhte seen
The kynges nobley in cites and in touns.
And of this feeste the riche roial souns
Cam to the eris of symple Mardoche,
Which cam with othir the maner for to see.
Tofor the paleis as he dide abide
With othir lewes in his companye.
Of happ as he caste his ere aside,
He of too porteris the counsail dide espie.
How thei hem caste, bi fals conspiracie.
To slen the kyng som day of that yeer,
Lik ther entent whan thei fond best leiseer.
Whan Mardocheus prudentli gan feele
The secre malis of ther compassyng,
Of compassioun he wolde it nat concele,
But made Hester discure it to the kyng.
Wherof convict, thei wer lad to hangyng.
As me semeth, a competent guerdoun
For al that falsli imagyne swich tresoun.
and this was
by the bidding
of King
Ahasuerus, at
4784 the time he
divorced V'ashti
and chose
Esther, who
in her youth
had always
followed
the counsel of
Mordecai of
Shushan.
4788
4792
. ^_/; and was now
4790 crowned
queen of
Persia.
Mordecai heard
of the wedding
festivities and
_ went with
4000 others to see
the sights.
and as he
stopped before
4804 }^'^ P''*** *"=
^ became aware
of two porters,
who were
conspiring to
slay the king.
4808
caused Esther
to inform
4812 .\hasuerus;
and the two
porters were
convicted and
hanged.
4816
4783. uoided] weddid H.
4787. lew] Youhe R.
4791. eunukis] om. H, muddled in R.
4795. Boue] above H.
4796. crownyd H.
4799. 2nd in] om. R.
4809. best] om. H.
4814. Wherof] WherfoK H.
4816. swich] such als H.
464
The Fate of the Tyrant Haman
[bk. Ill
Thus Mordecai
came into the
favour of the
king and
stood free of
the power of
Haman,
to whom he did
no reverence as
the statute
commanded.
In his malice
Haman had a
gibbet erected
for him before
the palace —
as if God were
blind and
unable to see
tyrants;
but as Mordecai
had in the
meantime
re-established
the law of the
Jews, Haman
was hanged
high upon a
gallows for his
pains.
Bi which[e] mene the said[e] Mardoche
Was weel accepted to kyng Assuer,
Likli also to stonde at liberte
Out of the mahs and the fell dauwgeer 4820
Of cursid Aman, which list make hym no cheer.
But compassede in ful fel manere
Hym to destroie & lewes all ifeere.
This Mardocheus, the Bible telle can, 4824
Withdrouh hymsilfF for to do reuerence
Vnto this tirant, the froward prince Aman,
Lik as the statut comauwdid in sentence.
Which thyng tauenge be hasty* violence, 4828
This Aman made of hatrede to be set
Affor the paleis a myhti strong gibet.
But who that caste hym for to do vengauMce,
And innocentis for toppresse of myht, 4832
Bi wilful malis tagreggen ther greuaunce,
As God wer blynde and hadde of hem no siht, —
But at the laste he wil of verray riht
Pun[y]she the proude for furious violence, 4836
The poore supportyng for ther long pacience.
As Mardocheus bi innocent lyuyng,
Be mene of Hester and hir gret meeknesse
Accepted was to Assuer the kyng, 4840
The lawe of lewes set in mor seurnesse,
Froward Aman for his cursidnesse,
Vengable of pride, the Bible ye may see.
Was hih enhangid upon a galwe tre. 4844
Mardocheus, of prudence & resoun,
The furious dauwger of Aman set aside,
Preserued his peeple fro destrucciouw.
The tirauwt hangid for his froward pride. 4848
Thus kan the Lord his iugementis deuide.
Whan he seeth tyme, most myhti and puissaunt,
Supporte the symple and punshe the tiraunt.
4824. the] this R.
4828. hasty] froward B, J, R.
4838. hi] for H.
4842. his] hir R.
BK. Ill] The Story of Artaxerxes and Cyrus
46s
QOflf the ii. brethre, Artaxerses and Cirus/ and
Artaxerses slouh his childre and concubynes/
and how thei ended.] ^
4864
4868
AFFTIR the fal of Aman, dout[e]les
Whan he beste wende ha regned in his flours,
Tofor lohn Bochas cam Artaxerses,
Most renommede his tyme of conquerowrs,
Which gan declare the* sodeyn sharpe showrs, 4856
With al the parcellis of his mortal peyne
Which that Fortune ageyn hym gan ordeyne.
This Artaxerses, as put is in memorie,
Al othir pryncis excelled in richesse,
Which in his chaier, famous of worldli glorie,
And with his throne of worldli hih noblesse
Sat in his tyme, the story berth witnesse,
Hiest exaltid that was off eny kyng, —
That he sholde fall, was it an vnkouth thyng!
Kynges he hadde vndir his obeissaunce.
An hundred prouynces, twenti & eek seuene,
Sone onto Dane, prynce of most puissaunce,
His fame drad[de] mor than firy leuene.
Non so myhti vndir the sterrid heuene
Acountid was that tyme, in werre & pes,
As was thys kyng callid Artaxerses.
He hadde a brother that namyd was Cirus;
Out of o stok cam ther bothe lynes.
But Artaxerses, the story tellith thus.
Was lord of greynes, of oilles & of vynes,
And hadde also bi dyuers concubynes
An hundred children, lik as it is told,
And fiftene ouer, toforn or he wex old.
Of bothe brethre the poweer laste ferre, 4880
Duryng ther tyme stood in ful hih estat,
Yet atween hem ther was ful mortal werre,
Ageyn nature an vnkyndli debat;
For thilke werris be most infortunat, 4884
Whan blood with blood, lat no man deemen othir.
List [to] werreie, as brother ageyn brother.
4856. the] his B, R, J, P. 4857. the] om. H.
4864. was] evir was H.
4869. firy] fire R. 4878. childre H.
^ MS. J. leaf 83 verso.
c.. After the death
4052 of Haman,
Artaxerxes, ia
his time the
most renowned
of conqueror*
and the richest
of princes,
4860 aPP«>r«l before
^ Bochas. It was
a suangc thing
that he should
faU!
Kings were
subject to him,
and a hundred
provinces, and
no one under
the starry skies
was held to be
more powerful.
4872
4876
He had a
brother Cyrus,
and he himself
was lord of
grain and oil
and vines.
Between Cyrus
and Artaxerxes
there was
mortal enmity,
blood against
blood:
466
The Story of Artaxerxes and Cyrus
[bk. Ill
secretly in
prison and
fettered him
with gold,
wll a quarrel ^^^ fynal causc whi this werre gan
as to which of Atween these brethre, as maad Is mencioun,
them should ii-iii i ^ • t
succeed King T horuh which debat ther deied many a man,
The ground of al and first occasioun
Was onli this: for successioun, —
Aftir kyng Darie, regnyng in Perse & Mede,
Which of them tweyne sholde next succeede.
hulfrother''"'^ But Artaxctses bamaner prouydence
Put pryueli his brother in prisoun,
That he ne sholde make no difFence
Nor gadre peeple to his destruccioun.
This yonge Cirus, as maad is mencioun,
Was faste stokkid, and eek as it is told,
That his stokkis and fetris wer of gold.
and ''collecting'^ ^"^ thouh it be nat remembred in Bochas,
an army, met How that Citus escaped fro prisoun,
Artaxerxes in , i i i i
battle, and, Yit also soonc as he delyuered was,
him[ forced him Throuh Perse and Mede ridyng up and doun,
the'^"dd/'°"' Gadred peeple off entencioun
Thoruh old hatreede his brother to assaile.
The feeld assignede, thei metten in bataile,
Wher Cirus proudli put hymsilff in pres,
To shewe his manhod in especiall,
Souhte his brother, callid Artaxerses,
And gaf to hym a wounde ful mortall,
Withoute frenshepe or fauour fraternall,
That Artaxerses, his wounde gan so ake,
Constreyned was the feeld[e] to forsake.
4892
[p. 204]
4896
4900
4904
4908
4912
Cyrus then
began to
slaughter his
foes; but
Fortuna, ever
deceitful, caused
him to be
wounded and
taken prisoner,
And Cirus thanne, furious as leoun,
His aduersaries gan mortalli to wake;* 4916
But fals Fortune, ful of collusioun,
Vnder feynt smylyng a mowe gan hym make.
Which caused, alas, that day that he was take,
Afforn Iwoundid, it wolde be non othir, 4920
And than presentid to his vnkynde brothir.
*fMrwa°rdI\e ^nd thouh this Cirus hadde affor be founde
died. Yong, fressh and lusti, & manli of his bond,
Bi the constreynt of his mortal wounde
He died anon; for he no socour fonde.
4924
4887. fynal] fynalli J — whi] whi ^at H — this] these R.
4896. ne] na R. 4915. Cirus] Cirus was J — a leoun J, R 3.
4916. tawake B, H 5. 4919. 2nd that] om. H.
BK. IIl3
Artaxerxes and bis Son Darius
467
Thanne the two kyngdamys withynne Perse-lond
Fill to the hondis of Artaxerses,
In which aftir he lyued longe in pes. 4928
Thus a gret space, lik a myhti kyng
Al Perse he heeld vnder his obeissaunce.
Be famous noblesse gloriousli shynyng,
Hauyng of richessis most fulsum habundaunce.
And as it is Iput in remembrance.
To mor encres of his prosperite.
In trewe wedlok he hadde sonys thre.
The firste of hem callid Darius;
Arabratus namyd the secounde;
And the thridde namyd was Othus,
Manli* pryncis, lik as it is founde.
And of nature as the kyng was bounde,
Vnto Darie, as it is maad mencioun,
Aboue echon he hadde alFeccioun.
And for he dempte hym able to the werre,
Be likliheed, of yeeris yonge and greene,
He caste fulli his noblesse to preferre;
Of hih prudence thus he dide meene,
His inpotence to supporte and susteene,
For he was feeble in Perse to regne allone.
He sette up Darie with hym in his throne.
Which was a thyng strauwge and contrarious,
Ageyn the custum of Persiens and vsance;
But he supposed his sone Darius
Sholde in such caas encrese & avaunce
His fadres parti, of natural attendaunce.
And shewe onto hym trouthe & kyndenesse.
His impotence to cherisshe of gentilesse.
But in estatis ofte it doth thus fall,
Whan that princis be ronne ferr in age,
Ther childres loue ageyn hem doth appall,
Shewyng no frenshipe sauf for auauntage.
How that thei may reioise ther heritage.
And in swich cas whan thei wexe stronge,
Thynken ther fadris lyuen al to longe.
4932. fulsum^ holsom H. 4936. hem] all H.
4939. Manli] Namli B. 4943. to] for R, vn to H.
4944. liklihoode H. 4947. Impotence H.
Artaxene* then
became lole
ruler of Peraia.
4932
.--A His three tons
4930 were Darius,
Arabratus and
Ochus, but he
loved Darius
above the
others, and
deeming him-
4940 self too feeble
to rule alone,
set up
Darius as king
beside him.
4944
4948
which was
contrary to the
custom of the
Persians.
4952
4956
But as it
often happens,
when princes
grow old, their
children's love
for them dies,
4960 and thejr begin
to think only
of their inheri-
468 Artaxerxes and his Son Darius [^bk. hi
Ihatlappened -^"^ Artaxcrscs stood ill the same caas, 4964
Dariis^r^'' ^^ ^" ^^^ ^*°" plcynli ye shal fynde
false and unkind Be rehcrsailc and writyng of Bochas,
How this Darie was fals & eek vnkynde,
Foryetilful, & hadde nothyng in mynde, 4968
How his fader, the trouthe to reherse,
Hath maad hym egal with hym to regne in Perse.
aginsthu'^ And to declare the firste occasiouw,
father. Yo his fader how the said[e] Darie, 4972
Bi a fals maner of rebellious,
Gan in his werkyng for to be contrarie.
Which to discure I wil no lenger tarie,
But with my penne in al haste proceede 4976
Heer to descryue how it fill in deede.
Srcorcubine Attaxetses, among his concubynes, [p. 205]
named Artusia, j^- [g remcmbrid how that he hadde oon
who belonged to . i /. , i •
Artaxerxes; VVhich, tot to tekne wyues and virgynes, 4980
Was fairest holde of them euerichon,
Callid Artasia, of ful yore agon,
And was that tyme, hir beaute to descryue,
Among Persiens the fairest holde a-lyue. 4984
she was*" wef on And thouh she wetc Ironwe ferr in age,
in years, having LJJ^ ^g bookis Hst of hire cxpresse,
once been >n ri 11 r •
Cyrus' harem, Bothc of colowt and also of visage
not faded. She kept hir beaute & hir natifF fresshnesse. 4988
Which was aforn[e] for hir semlynesse,
To said[e] Cirus, breeffli to termyne,
Chose long afForn to been his concubyne.
dL'd'sh^'fdf Bu* whan this Cirus was passid into fate, 4992
to Artaxerxes, Which fot his brothct myht nat lyue in pes,
Anon upon, withoute lenger date,
She was take up for kyng Artaxerses,
Because she was of beute pereles. 4996
Aftir long tyme, whan he fill in age,
She cleymed was bi title of heritage
became'of'age Of ^yng Datie bi his fader lyue,
?er"a8' z^Tn'^ Fcyuyng his cleym[e] bi successioun, 5000
of his inheri- Al-thouh his fadir ageyw it dide stryve.
tance.
4966. reh^rsyng H. 4968. Foryetfull R, Foryetful P.
4972. the] this R. 4982. Artusia P. 4985. ronne R.
4986. bookis] bochas R. 4989. hir] hir saide H.
4990. To] To Jie H — saide] the forsaid P.
4999. fadres R.
BK. Ill] Artaxerxes and his Son Darius 4^9
And thus began, as maad is mencioun.
Of ther debat the firste occasioun;
For Dane caste, al-be he bar it still, 5004
Hir to reioysshe ageyn his fadris will.
And tacomplisshe falsli his entent ^s^^aSier
Of hir to haue ful pocessioun, ^^,''f°'S^
Taforce his parti he made this argument: 5008 bcg^a. hi*
((/^- J) 11 J • • argument wai,
Lirus, quod he, as maad is mencioun, that she had
Regnyng in Perse the myhti regioun, concubm^*that
And this story doth pleynli determyne, di^^ArtaiCTxes
"For hir beute made hir his concvbyne." 5012 ^^ ^^ ^^
And aftir tyme, whan Cinis was ded, right to him.
Artaxerses, his fader, ye may see, heritance.*^ "*
Next hym succeedyng in Perse, it is no dreed,
List hir to cleyme eek for hir gret beaute. 5016
"And so," quod Darie, "she longeth now to me.
Because she is so plesaunt to my siht,
Bi successioun I wil hir cleyme of riht."
Thus kyng Darie to his fader saide 5020 ^^^a^^give
He wolde haue Artasia the faire. ^5^^kj*a-
And therwithal Artaxerses gan abraide,
And ansuerde with face debonaire,
"My sone," quod he, "I wil nat be contraire 5024
To thi desir, but of afFeccioun
Delyueren hir to thi pocessioun."
Of his promys he aftir gan repente, S^'edThi.
Cast hym to make another cheuisaunce; 5028 promise and
And secreli his concubyn he sente,
Callid Artasia, as maad is remembraunce,
And thoruh his sleihti vnkoul) purueiaunce,
Vnto the temple, swich menys he hath souht, 5032
Of gret AppoUo that she in haste was brouht.
Wher she was veilled & maad a preesteresse S'dw* t^the
Aftir the rihtis, pleynli, and the guise V™p/« °^.
r\f u ' r J J fe ApoUo, where
Ui old paynemes bamaner hoolynesse, 5036 she was made
And ther professid for to doon seruise, vowed to
As ther statutis constreynen and deuise. "^ ^^^'
sexy/. Of hir is repeated R.
5008. this] his H.
5011. playnly doth t/nnyne H.
5015. hym] om. H.
5016. gret] om. H.
5017. now to] vnto H. 5021. Arthusia P.
470 Artaxerxes and his Son Darius [bk. ill
Duryng hir lifF, it myhte non other be,
She bounde was to lyue in chastite. 5040
wen?aiiS.n'"' This thyng was wrouhte bi the compassyng
mad for rage. Qf Artaxetscs, be ftowaid ialousie.
Wherof Darie, the yonge lusti kyng,
Wex almost wood whan he it dide espie, 5044
And gan cowpassen of malencolie,
Furious rancoMr & hasti cruelte
Vpon his fader auengid for to be.
rev^e'nge!''aufed And his patti of force to susteene, 5048
hh7ll nauirai With hym he hadde, the story maketh mynde,
ijrothers who His brethte in bast, an hundred & fifteene,
father should Which to thet fader wer fals & vnkynde.
Of al this nouwbre ther lefFt non behynde 505a
That fro this purpos onys list dissente,
His deth of o will all did* assente.
But Artaxerxes Yit of thIs sttauwge fals conspiracie
was informed of iiii ii
their intentions Artaxetscs hadde a knowlechyng, 5056
and collected aiiii -ii r
an army Al-thouh the stori doth nat specehe
How, ne be whom, he hadde therof wetyng.
For which in haste, he made no tarieng
To gadre meyne & make hywsilue strong, 5060
HymsilfF tauenge of this disnaturel wrong.
and resolved to Yqt Artaxetses, Hk as the caas tho stood, [p. 206]
take vengeance _ ' i • i •« i ' ir j
on them. Thouhte it sat weel to his hih noblesse,
To be venged upon vnkynde blood; 5064
For lawe, nature decres rihtwisnesse.
And alle statutis dampne vnkyndenesse,
Wherbi this kyng occasioun dide fynde
Ageyn his childre, because thei wer vnkynde. 5068
thaTa multitude Somwe men deeme how gret[e] multitude
of children Qf many childre maketh a fader strong;
msKC Si t&tncr ,^,^ i i • i i
strong, but this IJut thetupon, picynli to conclude,
is true only ifxr • -ri 1111
they are Vettu IS causc, yit shc dueilc hem among. 5072
virtuous. g^^ yj£ ^l^gj. ^,Qj.^gg enclyneth onto wrong,
And vicious lyfF do ther bridil leede.
The gretter nouwbre, the wers thei must[e] speede.
J wi^kL^dlme"^ A progenie born of a cursid lyne 5076
may corrupt an Mav thotuh his froward fals infecciouw,
entire region; ■'
5042. ialousie^ leulosie R. S044. it] om. H.
5054. all did] thei B, R, J, R 3, H 5, P. 5058. ne] nor H.
5067. kyng] thyng R. 5077. fals froward R.
BK. Ill]]
The End of Artaxerxes and Darius
471
5080
5084
5092
5096
Outward be colour of trouthe thouh he shyne,
Vnder apparence and symulacioun
Infecte and corupte al a regeoun;
For, it is seid of ful old langage,
Frut of sour trees take a sour tarage.
This was weel shewed in Artaxerses,
That suffred his brother deien at myscheefF,
Bledyng his wounde, left hym help[e]les,
Which to his name shal euer been repreefF.
Thus blood vnkynde vnkyndli makth his preefF;
For al the childre fro his stok descendid 50S8
Wer cursid echon, as heer is comprehendid.
Ther stock was first contagious of nature,
The grifFes froward, thouh thei wer gret in noumbre,
WTiich of assent dide ther besi cure
Bi fals tresoun ther fader to encournbre.
But ther is no shade nor no couert oumbre
So closli kept, namli of fals[e] guile,
But the venym wil shewen oute sum while.
And thus the deth contagiousli conspired
Of Artaxerses sithe go ful yore,
Wheron tauenge, hys herte was so fired
Of furious ire & Ibrent so sore,
That he nat koude diflFerre it ferthermore,
But with his meyne fill on hem anon
Or thei wer war, and slouh hem euerichon.
He slouh also al his concubynes,
That wer ther moodres, of whom I told tofom,
SufFred non to lyue of [al] ther lynes;
So of that lynage he hath the weed upshom,
Fond among alle no greyn of good[e] corn:
Convict bi doom, whan thei wer presentid.
How to his deth echon thei wer assentid.
His clothes spreynt with the vnk>Tide blood
Of his childre, which he dide sheede,
Aftir whos deth in gret myscheefF he stood;
And so in sorwe his lyff he dide leede, —
Deied aftir in myscheef & in dreede,
Deth quit with deth, & rage with rage:
Loo, heer the fyn of his vnweeldi age !
5C78. he] they R, she H. 5095. namli] oonly H.
5099. was] om. R. 5101. nat] ne H.
5106. al] om. R, J, R 3, P. 5 116. ist deth] Seth R.
for the fruit
of »our trees
has a soar
flavoor.
This was wdl
proven by
Artaienes,
who let his
brother die
heipless, and
whose children
were cursed.
The stock was
noxious and the
grafts and
branches
froward,
although large
in number.
Artaxerxes fell
on them with
his soldiers
unawares and
slew every one.
5100
5104
He also kflled
his concubines,
their mothers.
.=;io8
and after living
the rest of his
life in sorrow,
he himself died
5116
472 An Envoy on Fraternal Strife [bk. hi
f [Lenvoye.]
d^lcribeTtS T^HIS tragedie afforn declareth heere
T
enmity between JL TPhc grcte outragc of vnkvndenesse,
two brothers, ° ° i i • r
which led to Atween too brethre regnyns: bothe ireere 5120
war and the y r, i j v v j
destruction of In rersc-lond, as ye nan herd expresse,
their kindred, t'm j • • f l L r • ^
1 li dyuisiouM, or al myscheer maistresse,
Gan entren in thoruh fraternal hatreede,
Which ageyn kynde destroied ther kynreede. 5124
The werre aroos, contagious for to lere,
Thoruhout al Perse of mortal frowardnesse,
Of Cirus deth rehersyng the maneere,
How help[e]les he deied in distresse, 5128
And how the noumbre of brethre dide hew dresse
To slen ther fader — the story ye may reede, —
Causyng an eende of al ther hool kynreede.
Hs^chlfdren*'^^ Kyng Artaxctses, with a froward cheere, 5132
together with jjig iniuHes & wronges to redresse,
their mothers rii i i • t m i i i it
and soon Slouh his childrc, ther moodres eek iteere,
afterwards died, n ^ r i i ^
opared nat oon, or cruel hastynesse.
Bi which occasiouw took a gret siknesse, 5136
Aftir deied in myscheef & in dreede,
Causyng an eende of al his hool kynreede.
^frate°r?lr'^'°"Loo, heer a sorwe nat particuleer;
strife spread all Yox thoruh al Perse ran the cursidnesse, 5140
infecting the The crokid fame sprad bothe ferr & neer
slanderous ' Of this vcngable, hasti, fel woodnesse,
blackness. rj.^^ j^^j^. j^fectyng Wit/5? sclauwdrous foul blaknesse.
To shewe be vengauwce the contrarious meede 5144
Of blood vnkynde boorn of oon kynreede.
Srancou?: Noble PHncis, left up youx eyen cleere [p. 207]
mUchW^thir ^^^ considreth, bi gret auisynesse,
follows blood The wofiil stryues, the odious fel dauwgeere 5148
unkind, born of^ ., ,. r-iri
one kindred. Sowe m kynreedis or wiltul strauwgenesse.
Of al rancour your corages doth represse,
Peisyng the myscheeuys folwyng on in deede
Of blood vnkynde born of o kynreede. 5152
f Explicit liber tercius.
5126. Thoruhout] Thoruh R.
5132. This stanza and the next are transposed R.
5135. cruel hastynesse] froward cursednesse B, J, R, P.
S143. foul] om. R. S148. fel] fals H, R 3, H 5.
BOOK IV
9 Incipft prohemium libri qtiarti.
FRUT of writyng set in cronicles olde.
Most delectable of fresshnesse in tastyng,
And most goodli & glorious to beholde,
In cold and heete lengest abidyng,
Chaung of cesouns may doon it non hyndryng;
And wher-so be that men dyne or faste,
The mor men taste, the lenger it wil laste.
It doth corages renewe ageyn & glade,
Which may be callid frut of the tre of lyff,
So parmanable that it wil neuer fade.
To the fyue wittis grettest restoratifF,
And to ther plesance most cheef confortatifF;
For of nature whan thei be quik & goode,
Thei of this frut tak ther natural foode.
Auctours heeron conclude and eek assente,
How that writyng of his kyndeli riht
Doth louid personis & liknessis represente
Of freendis absent, seuered fer from siht;
Dirknesse of absence is clerid with the liht, —
Thus frut of writyng hath his auauntages.
Of folk ferr off to presente the images.
Lawe hadde perisshed, nadde be writyng;
Our feith appalled, ner vertu of scripture;
For al religioun and ordre of good lyuyng
Takth ther exaumple be doctryn of lettrure.
For writyng causeth, with helpe of portraiture,
That thynges dirked, of old that wer begonne.
To be remembred with this celestial sonne.
S. non] no H. lo. permanble R, parmanable H, R 3.
15. conclude heriron H.
20. Thus] This H — wrytvnges R.
22. nadde be] had be H.
25. Takth] Tak R.
26. portrateurR.
473
The fniit of old
writings remains
fresh always;
it is bann«l by
no change of
season, and the
more men taste
of it, the longer
it lasts.
It gives us new
heart, as if it
were the fruit
of the tree of
life.
and dears
away the dark-
jg ness of absence
and brings the
images of loved
ones, who may
be far away,
near to us.
Were it not
for writing, law
had perished
and our faith
24 grown dim and
faint.
28
474 ^ Prologue on Poets and Writing []bk. iv
S^ing''t'i"offsetGod sette writyng & lettres in sentence,
our nalure! to Ageyn the dulnessc of our infirmyte,
worw''b ^^'^ ^^^^ world tenlumyne be crafFt of elloquence;
eloquence, to Canoun, cyuile, philosophie — these thre 33
asseal covenants /^ r j r ^ • r
and make Coniermed traunchises or many strong cite,
agreements sure. Couenauwtis asselld, trouthis of old assured,
Nadde writyng been, myht nat haue endurid.
triumphant over DiIHgence, cheef ttiumphatrice 36
ks k'bour ^^ Of slogardie, necligence & slouthe,
brought things Eek of memorye upholdere and norlce
long passed mto » « •
fresh remem- And Tegistrcer to suppowaile trouthe,
Hath of old labour (& ellis wer gret routhe) 40
Brouhte thynges passid, notable in substaunce,
Onli be writyng to newe remembrance.
^iting^hal' Writyng is cause that herto is remembrid
iTve^of^oid^* ^y^ °^ prophetis & patriarches olde, 44
patriarchs and How thapostlis and martirs wer dismembrid
the martyrs For Cristis feith, his baner up to holde.
who upheld the a i • i i r t i i
bannerof Christ. And writyng sheweth, totorn as 1 you tolde,
Of confessowrs the grete stedfastnesse, 48
And of virgynes the virgynal clenwesse.
Jrite^rsTukV^ Lik to a tre which euery yeer berth frut, [p. 208^
that'biossomr'^ Shcwyng his beute with blosmys & -with floors,
and bears fruit Riht SO the foode of our inward refFut, 52
Be dilligence of these olde doctowrs
And daili frut of ther feithful labours
Han our corages fostred & pasturid
Be writyng onli, which hath so longe endurid. 56
of'^Prospfrf'"' ^^^ Epigrames whilom pmsshed hadde
Tragedies the ^^ prudent Prosp^r, that was so vertuous.
Stratagems of And of Seuec the tragedies sadde,
Vegetius and ry-,, ^ ~ ,,. .
the Satires of 1 he btratagemys or Vigecms, 60
Persius had all t> i i • • • r i i rj
vanished, but KebuK m vicis oi noble rercivs, —
tourhsakf'to'* Yif in olde writyng hadde be founde a lak,
eternai^^name These said[e] thynges hadde fer be put abak.
Take record of tiy . -i •
Virgil, the Writyng caused poetis to recure 64
sovereign' oT "' A name eternal, the laurer whan thei wan,
wrote^of' .Eneas Iit^ adamauwt grauc perpetuelli tendure.
and Dido. Record I take of Virgile Mantuan,
29. lettris & writyng H.
31. to elumyne R.
.39. Registeer H. 51. shewith H.
BK. IV]
A Prologue on Poets and Writing
475
That wrot the armys & prowesse of the man
Callid Eneas, whan he of hih corage
Cam to Itaill from Dido of Cartage.
Thre famous bookis this auctowr list compile,
Eneidoys first; which that dide excell
In rethorik be souereynte of stile.
He drank swich plente, this poete, as men tell,
Of the stremys that ran doun fro the well
Wrouhte bi tho sustres that be in noumbre nyne,
Prowesse of knihthod most cleerli to termyne.
For in that book he cast[e] nat to faill,
With vois mellodious for to descr\'ue ariht
The grete conquest of Rome & of Itaill
Wrouht bi Enee, the manli Troian kniht.
Whos vers notable >nf so cleer a liht
Thoruh al the world[e], as in rethorik,
That among poetis was non onto hym lik.
He wrot also, this poete with his bond
Bi humble stile othir bookis tweyne,
Oon of pasture, the nexte of tilthe of lond.
The vers conveied with feet of metris pleyne.
Bi which thre labours a palme he dide atteyne.
To make his name throuh dites delitable
Aboue poetis to be most comendable.
Writyng of poetis hath set withynne his cloos
Conquest of knihthod, ther tryumphes & renouns.
Reed of Guide Methamorphoseos,
The grete wondres, the transmutaciouns,
The moral menjTig, [thjvnkouth conclusiouns.
His book de Ponto, & with gret dilligence
Ful many a pistil compleynyng for absence.
Of craft of loue a book he hath compiled,
Wheroff Cesar hadde ful gret disdeyn,
Which was cause that he was exilled
Tabide in Ponto, and neuer come ageyn.
And yit he dide his labour in certeyn.
In hope of grace, his wittis to applie
To write a book of louis remedie.
68
72
76
and described
the conquest of
Rome and
Italy.
80 No poet was
his equal.
84
He alto wrote
about pastoral
life and a Book
of Tilth in
metrical verse,
attaining a palm
88 above all other
poets.
Read Ovid's
" Metamorphoses,
his Epistultu fx
Ponio, his
Trittia, his Art
amatoria,
because of
which Augustus
90 exiled him, hi*
Rrmtdia
104
69. whan he]] which H. 72. Eneidos R, Enoydos H.
79. voisj wise R. 87. Oon] And R. 90. delectable R.
96. thvnkouth] vnkouth R, J, P, R 3. J omits litus 99-288.
102. come] to cum H.
476 A Prologue on Poets and Writing ^bk. iv
Peuarcr""^'' Writyng of old, with lettres aureat,
Rome^and his LabouF of poctis doth hihH magncfie,
Fwtun°is^hi° ^^^^""^ ^n Petrak, in Rome laureat, io8
Eclogues' and Which of too FoFtunys wFot the remedie,
his Psalms of Cefteyii Ecloogis and his Cosmographie,
his^Epk"of' And a gret conflict, which men may reede & see,
foiTaHa^Ld''" ^^ ^^^ querellis withynwe hymsilfF secre. 112
his Book of TT ri 1 r
Ignorance, who He wFot scucne Fsalmys ot gret repentauwce,
perpetlTar name And in his AfFtik comendid Scipiouw,
Read hirLeitfrs And wfot a Book of his ignoraunce
Without a Title gi ^ manet of excusacioun, 116
and his Book . , it -i •
of Famous And scttc 3. notable compilacioun
Vpon the lyff[e] callid solitarye.
To which this world is froward and contrarie.
And thus be writyng he gat hymsilff^ a name 120
Perpetuelli to been in remembraunce,
Set and registred in the Hous of Fame,
And made Epistles of ful hih substaunce
Callid Sine Titulo; & mor hymsilfF tauauwce, 124
Of famous women he wrot thexcellence,
Gresilde preferryng for hir gret pacience.
Jemlmb^red in Writyng also temembrid hath how Troye
Tro'"wa*s°" Dcsttoied was, sith[en] go many a yeer, 128
destroyed, the The slauhtte of Ectot, chccf pilcr of ther ioie.
Hector and And for the patti of Grekis wrot Omer,
ciusTvI praise of Which iu his writyng was particuleer;
wrought Sly For Tachille, that wrouhte al be fraude, 132
fraud. Aboue Ectot he gaf a synguler laude.
^een"fhe'"^''" Writyng causeth the chaplet to be greene [p. 209]
chapiets of Bothe of Esope and of luuenal;
Asop and _^ •it • i i i
Juvenal, and on Uantis labour it doth also meynteene 136
Dante it bestows ■!-,. t • i
celestial fame. Di z tcport vetray celestial,
Sunge among Lumbardis in especial,
Whos thre bookis the grete wondres tell
Of heuene aboue, of purgatorie & hell. 140
meHla^rrif'"* Men bc writyng knowe the meracles
the miracles and Of blissid seyntes & of ther hoolynesse,
holmess o' the r i i o i i l
blessed saints, MedecynelsJ, same & eek obstacles
of medicines and ^^ t , ■ i • i
salves and Geyu mottai wouwdis and eueri gret seeknesse, 144
staunches for t> • j i • j • ^
mortal wounds. Kecreacioun and solace m distresse,
113. PsalmysJ palmys R. 114. his]] om. R.
132. Tachille] to Achilles H, tachilles R 3, P.
140. hell] of hell H. 144. Geyn] ageyn^ H.
BK.
IV]
A Prologue on Poets and Writing
A77
Quiete in labour, in pouert pacience,
And in richesse riht, trouthe and conscience. .
fl Shortnesse of lyff and foryetilnesse,
The wit of man dul & ay slidyng,
Necligence and froward idilnesse, —
Echon stepmooder to science and konwyng,
That I dar sey[e]n, nadde be writyng
OnH ordeyned for our auauntages,
Ded wer memorie & mynde of passid ages.
And thus in cheef thes causes afFor told
Meued the herte of Bochas to writyng.
And to remembre be many story old
Thestat of pryncis, in chaieres hih sittyng,
And for vices ther vnwar fallyng,
Yiuyng exaumple, as I afFerme dar,
Of fals Fortune how thei shal be war.
His firste thre bookis be ful cleer merowrs,
Fulli acomplisshed, as Bochas vndirtook,
The cause of fallyng of many conquerowrs,
Onli for trouthe and vertu thei forsook.
For which myn znctouv toward his fourte book
Gan sharpe his penne, to his eternal fame,
Onli be writyng to geten hym a name.
Myn auctowr Bochaj, that so moche koude,
Begynneth heer to make a processe
Ageyn thoutrage of pryncis that wer proude.
Which wer brouht lowe for ther frowardnesse,
And notabli remewbreth how* meeknesse,
Which stondeth hool in oon & doth contune,
Is ay frauwchised fro daunger of Fortune.
But he in maner doth recapitle ageyn
The fal of many that sat on hih[e] stages,
How thei for vicis stood ay in noun certeyn,
Cam to myscheef for ther gret outrages.
148
Shortness of
life and lack
of memory,
negligence and
idleness, would
have destroyed
the mind of past
ages, had it not
152 been for writing .
156
For these
reasons Bochas
was moved to
tell the tale of
princes, who
sat on high
thrones and
fell because
of their vices.
160
His first three
books com-
pleted, he
sharpened his
164 pen
168
and began
a process
against the
outrages of
proud princes,
who were
I "2 brought low
for their
perversity.
(L He recapitu-
^70 lated the fall of
Priam, who
sustained
adultery.
148. H has large initial.
151. Echon^ om. H.
153. avauntage H. 154. Age H.
155. cheef] myscheef (Jbut mys crossed out) B — thes] ther R
— to fore R.
158. chaiers R, chairs H.
162. be] bi R. 169. moche gode koude R.
170. Begynnyng R. 173. how] the B.
176. recapitle] a Chapitle H.
47^ A Prologue on Poets and Writing [j&K. IV
Remembryng first of Priam the damages, i8o
And how he loste sceptre and regaUe
For sustenyng of fals auoutrye.
wht'iatr-eThrs' The fal rehersyng of Astriages,
Ca^b'^tes^'a That gaf his douhtir whilow in manage 184
man of low To oon that was Icallid Cambises,
A poore man bor[e]n of louh lynage,
For he shold[e] ha[ue] non auauwtage
In no maner, nouther in riht nor wrong, 188
Bi rebellious ageyn hym to be strong.
there\\ouid be For he tofFom hadde had aveseoun,
no male born How ther shold oon procedyn of his lyne,
of his Ime who •11111 ri-
could put him Which sholde hym putte out of his regeoun 102
from his throne. »i i • ^ r r r
Yet, after all, And causc hym m myscheer tor to ryne.
threw"him!" But yit Fottune koude hym vndermyne,
That al his wisdam stood in non auail;
For ageyn God preuaileth no counsail. 195
his"nory°here" ^^ needeth nat his story to reherse,
of c ra"°or ^^^ ^^^ maner of his vnhappi chauwce.
King Tarquin. Nor the fallyng of Cirus kyng of Perse,
Nor of kyng Tarquyn for his mysgouernaunce, 200
Thouh Bochas heer put hem in remembraunce.
For as me semeth, it wer a thyng in veyn,
Thyng onys told to telle it newe ageyn.
Sn^'/ehtfe" And he list nat now to be rek[e]les, 204
the tale of Newe ageyn to make rehersaile
Artaxerxes. /~\r y i i-i*
It has already Qf the kyng callid Artaxetses;
Bochas begins Sithe it is told, what sholde it mor auaile?
Marcus'Maniius. But he ptocedith sttciht onto Itaille 208
To telle ther stories, and begynneth heer
At Marchus Manlius, a Romeyn consuleer.
^ Finis Prolog!.
181. loste] lefft H.
183. fal] fals H.
185. callid R. .
190. a vision R, P, a visioun H, avision R 3, avycioun H 5 —
had] om. R.
202. as] om. H.
208. onto] in to H.
2 10. At] Of H — Marcus Manlius H, Mallius R.
BK. IV]
The Story of Marcus Manlius
479
9 Incipit liber quartus.
[Howe marchus manlius wrought and dyd for Rome
toune/ And at the laste he was by the comons
caste into* Tibre and there drownedj ^
W
HILOM in Rome ther was a gret lynage [p.2i i] '^^^ ^J^lf""*
Callid Manliois, of renomwed noblesse.
And of that stok, riht fair in his yong age.
Cam this Marchus, his stori berth witnesse.
Which bi processe for his worthynesse
Was thre tymes be iust eleccioun 216
Maad consuleer of that worthi toun.
Which to the comoun ful gretli dide auaile.
He dyuers times for the toun[e]s riht
Fauht in his daies many strong bataile.
And ay preuailede thoruh his grete myht.
And in the feeld[e] bi a synguler fiht
Outraied his enmy, lik as it is told,
And took from hym a riche bie of gold. 224
Torques in Latin, in Inglissh is a bie,
A cercle of gold, which that Marchus wan.
Brouht[e] it hom thoruh his cheualrie;
And of torques, he was callid than 228
Marchus Torquatus; & thus the name gan,
He to be callid, the stori tellith vs.
Among Romeyns Torquatus Manlius.
And he wolde ofte iuparte good & liff.
For the cite entre the feeld allone.
And ther conquered for a prerogatiiF
Sondri crownes, with many riche stone.
Wan* tunicles of gold ful many one;
For thilke tyme, for dyuers hih emprises
Wer crownis maad in many sondri wises.
212. Malliois R, Manlyoys H, Manlioys R 3, P.
214. Marcus H, P — his] ^ H. 218. ful] om. H.
222. fiht] siht R.
229. began R.
230. vs] thus H.
231. Mallius R.
235. many a H.
236. Wan] Whan B, R — fulj om. H, R 3, P.
^ Supplied from Pi, n. 6 recto {below cut and Incipit). For
into read nito.
celebrated in
Rome, and
Marcus, thrice
consul, was one
cA iu
descendant*.
He often fought
for the town,
and after he
bad won a rich
220 arm- ring of gold
from an enemy
in single
combat, he
was called
Marcus
Torquatus; for
Torques in Latin
means a ring.
He also won
3^ many crowns of
gold; and in
those days
crowns were the
reward of great
emprises
236
48o
The Story of Marcus Manlius
[bk. IV
and, as Aulus
Gellius says,
were given to
men who, after
they had fought
and risked their
lives for the
town, were
called
champions.
There were
Triumphal,
Obsidional,
Mural, and
Naval crowns,
and a crown
called Castrence
Triumphal
crowns were
given to
emperors and
mighty con-
querors.
Obsidional
crowns
were wrought
like grain or
corn and
presented to
those who
relieved be-
sieged cities.
The Mural
crown of laurel
was granted to
him who first
ascended the
wall of an
assaulted
stronghold,
and Naval
crowns,
carved like
rudders,
were ordained
for those who
first entered
the ship of an
enemy.
For as Agellius maketh mencioun,
Ther wer in Rome deuised strauwge crouns 240
For such as hadden fouhten for the toun.
And* for ther labour resceyued ther guerdouns,
Bi a prerogatifF callid champiouws,
Which sondry tymes of manhood & of myht 244
luparted ther lyfF* for the toun[e]s riht,
Lik ther desertis thes croun[e]s took ther names;
For sumwe of them wer calUd Tryuwphal,
Youe onto kniht^j for ther noble fames. 248
Othir also callid Obsidional
In Romeyn tunge; & sumwe ther wer Mural, —
Eek other tweyne, Naual and Castrence,
And alle thei wern of ful gret excellence. 252
The Tryumphal maked wer of gold,
OfFred in tryuwphes to worthi emperowrs.
Set with saphirs and rubies manyfold
Vpon the hedis of myhti conquero^rs. 256
And whan that Rome was shynyng in his floors,
That crowne callid, yvith braunchis boornid faire.
In ther vulgar Thaureat Coronaire.
Thobsydyonal, of which I spak tofForn, 260
Deuised wern, the book doth specefie,
Crouw[e]s notable wrouht lik greyn or corn,
Youe onto princis which thoruh ther cheualrie
Reskewed seeges and saued the partie 264
Of hem that wer[e] closed streiht withynwe,
Thoruh hih prowesse a crowne for to wynwe.
Another crowne, that callid was Mural,
Was youe and grauntid bi the emperour 268
To hym that firste wan vpon the wal
At any seege, and ther abood the shour
Fihtyng allone, in hope of sum socowr.
And he that myht[e] such a brunt susteene, 272
Sholde of laurer were a crowne greene.
Naual crownes whilom wer ordeyned
For them that fauht[e] manli on the se,
Whan ther shippis wer togidre cheyned, — 276
He that of manhod & marcial surete
Vpon his enmyes made first entre
239. Aulus Gellius P. 242.
243. callid] maade R. 245.
252. excellence] reverence H,
And] As B — labours R.
lvfr]lyuesB. 246. thes]5)eH.
R3. 253. The] This R:
BK. IV]
The Story of Marcus Manlius
481
Resceyue sholde, in al the peeplis siht,
Korue lich a rother, a crowne cleer & briht.
The nexte crowne, which callid is* Castrence,
Was youe of custum to that manli kniht
That list auaunce hym thoruh his magnificence,
Hostes assemblede, iuparte wolde of myht
TofFom al other [t]entren into fiht,
Sholde eek resseyue, his noblesse for to queeme,
A sterrid crowne maad lik a diadeeme.
The crowne also which callid was Oual
Took first name of ioie and gladnesse,
Which kynges, princis in actis marcial
Vsid somtyme in ther ioious noblesse
At sodeyn skarmysshes of casuel hastynesse.
As whan thei venquysshed proudli in bataille
Such as ther hihnesse vnwarli wolde assaille.
280
The starred
crown called
Castrence was
received by
that knight who
entered into
284 battle before all
other men.
QQ and the Oral
^°* crown by the
victor in a
sudden
skirmish.
2Q3
And for thei wem of poweer invyncible,
Ther noble crownis coriousli wer wrouht
Of mirtis branchis, which been inputrible,
Enduryng euere and corupte nouht.
For this woord Oual, yif it be weel souht,
Is seid of gladnesse, as put is in memorie,
Ordeyned for pryncis after ther victorie.
Anothir crowne callid Cyuyca,
Of oken bowes was maad[e] round & pleyn,
Ordeyned for them which pro Re Publica
Koude in bataile reskewe a citeseyn
And slen his enmy that was a foreyn.
Of myhti ok he sholde for manheed
Cleyme to were a crowne upon his hed.
And lik as knihtis in marcial delites,
For comoun proffit dede hemsilf auaunce.
So for ther noble victorious merites
The Romeyn peeple hadde a gret plesance.
With sundri crownis marcial in substaunce,
[p.
-y-l It was wrooght
2*2J of myrtle -
2Q^ branches, which
' never corrupt.
300
The Gvic
crown, made
of oak boughs,
was the reward
jQ J for rescuing a
^ citizen in battle
and slaying his
enemy.
308
As Aulas
Gellius records,
the Romans
took great
pleasure in thus
rewarding their
312 famous knights.
281. is callid B, R.
285. tentren] entren R.
291. ther] the R.
296. wer] was R.
297. mirtis] Marcus H, Martvs H 5, mirthis R 3 — imputrible
J, R, H, P.
308. a] J)at H.
312. Romeyn peeple] Romayns H.
482
The Story of Marcus Manlius
[bk. IV
For to guerdone ther knihtis most famous,
Myn auctour record callid Agellius.
o^ftensK"/ Among other that dede ther besi peyne 316
life, and won Such[e] crownis manli to recure,
many crowns, ■»«■■««■. .
Marcus Manhus, m manhod souereyne,
Put ofte his lyfF in mortal auenture;
For in his force so moche he dide assure, 320
That he deserued ful yore agon
Of these said crownes many mo than oon.
?he surnaSr" And to [the] enctcs of his noble fame
Capitoiinus Hg Atdt z thyng bothe manli & dyuyne, 324
Wherbi that he gat hym a surname
To be callid Marchus Capitolyne,
Which aboue alle his namis dide shyne, —
Whan he allone, wherbi he is comendid, 328
The Capitoile frow enmyes hath defendid.
?ha\^thi™^ Whan thei of Frauwce hadde taken the cite,
French captured Py^ al Rome at myschcef onto fliht,
the city and » j i • i • r t • i
tried to take And leid await[ej with a gret meyne 33a
The Capitoile for to take at niht,
Bi a passage that lay ferr out of siht
Vnder a roche callid Carmentouw,"
Ther taue entred into the cheef dongoun. 335
Thei wer ther shrowdid vndir a dirk[e] vale,
With ordynauwce and myhti violence
Toward mydniyht the wal[le] for to scale,
Most couertli them keepyng in scilence; 340
Dempte pleynli, for lak* of resistence,
That thei sholde, maugre tho withyne,
Ther hour assigned, the Capitoile wynwe.
But the ges that wer wit[h]ynne cloos, 344
The waker foules be noise of ther komywg
Gan bete ther weenges, & up anon aros,
Wherthoruh this Marcus in his bed liggyng
Gan tabraide, & made no tarieng, 348
Took his harneis, most furious & wroth,
And to the wallis in al haste he goth.
315. A. Gelllus P.
318. Mallius R.
325. that] om. H — gat] gaff R.
333. to] om. R.
337. Thei] Ther R. 341. lak] lakkyng B, J.
343. the] ther H. 346. aros] thei aros R.
the Capitol
by climbing
along a dark
valley at mid-
night and
scaling the wall
in a surprise
attack.
But the brave
geese beat their
wings and made
such a com-
motion that
Marcus awoke,
BK.
IV]
The Story of Marcus Manlius
483
And hym that cam first upon the wall, "e^w'^IXcw
Of verray force, withoute mor tarieng, 352 ^tVaTO^w"*
Doun into Tibre he made hem haue a fall; into the Tiber.
And all his felawes bisi in scalyng,
With sheeld or pauys, or ladderes up reisyng.
This manli Mark, shortli to comprehende.
Into the flood he made hem to descende.
Vnto the deth, of hym thei wer abauyd;
For bi his knihthod & his hih renoun,
Maugre them, the Capitoile sauid
And aftirward rescued al the toun.
[And] for the fortune, in conclusioun.
Which that tyme dide vnto hym fall,
Capitolinus men dede hym aftir call.
And for he was so victorious,
Hymsilff allone be this hih victorye,
This name he gat to hym & al his hous,
Perpetueli to been in memorye
And registred in the consistorie.
In ther cronicles his name determyned.
With goldene lettres to been enlumyned.
And the gees, of whom I spak also.
That so weel kepte wach upon the niht,
Itake wern and offired to luno
Solempneli with gret[e] torchis liht.
To whom also it grauntid was of riht,
Whan a famyne maad her stoor to faile,
Thei spared wern & take for no vitaile.
And thus was Marcus lik a* conqueroi^r [p. 213] ^^J'J^hi^
Worsheped in Rome, alle beyng of assent. ^80 ?^ * conqueror;
but whan summe rolk be set m gret honowr, other men set
S. , 11-1111 in high honour,
umtyme it happeth thei hoide hem nat content, he was not
With couetise ther hertis be so blent, content.
356
They were _c*it
down by him to
their death, and
thus the Capitol
^60 ^'^^ saved.
364
For this deed
the name
Capitolinus
was given to
him and his
family in
368 perpetuity.
And the geese
01* were made
sacred to Juno
and never eaten
in time of
famine.
376
Fro sufl5saunce, aboue ther degrees
To surmounte to hier dignites.
This Manlius was fret in his corage
To gretter worshepis sodenli tascende,
Deemyng so to haue had auauntage.
384
but wanted to
transcend his
equals.
383
353. hem] hym H. 362. And]om. R. 374. to] onto R.
379. Marcus lik a] Mark a mihti B, R, J, Marc lik a H, R 3, P,
H 5.
383. so be H.
484 The Story of Marcus Manlius Qbk. IV
And in hymsilfF gan frowardli pretende
In that cite al othir to transcende,
Beside tryumphes, which wer to hym reserued,
Hiere to clymbe than he hath disserued. 392
and became But thcF was oon, as maad is menciouw,
jealous of a r^ 1^• ^ r> n iir
lord named Calud Lamyllus, a lord of gret substauwce,
greatest man in Which in the citc & in that myhti toun
of°Se aty""""^ Aboue al othir hadde gouernaunce. 396
And as it is Iput in remembraunce,
To his gretnesse non othir myht atteyne,
At whos noblesse Marchus gan disdeyne.
and rebeUed In his hctte he hadde a gret envie, 400
Which caused hym bi outrage for to erre
Ageyn Camyllus, which for his cheualrie
The tou« gouerned bothe in pes and werre.
And for Marchus wolde hymsilfF preferre 404
Aboue that prynce in worshepe and honour,
First of the peeple he gat hym gret fauoMr.
And as he was And bi a maner of conspiracie
popular he drew __ iii • ri
many of the He gadrcd hertis or the comouwte, 408
people to his * i i i i i •
side And drouh also onto his partie
Gret multitude thoruhout the cite.
And thus roos first the dreedful enmyte
Withynwe Rome, the story tellith thus, 41a
Atween these pryncis, Camyll & Manlius.
and caused Thus first the venym atween hem two was sowe
great dissension. ^->.p , . , i i • r i
Ui hasti hatreede bi lals occasiouws.
Which in the cite atween hih & lowe 416
Caused of newe dyuers discenciouns,
Aftir the[r] vnkouth strauwge oppynyons;
For eueri wiht drouh to his partie.
As thei wer meued in ther fantasie. 420
To put a stop But for to stynte this outragous errour
to the strife a . , , , "^ . - . "
dictator named And thes hasti stryucs turious,
Cornelius Cassius • r nn i i •
came from Ageyu iro 1 uscau kam a dictatour,
put'*^Ma^rcu°s''in That tyme callid Cornelius Cassus, 424
gaol, Which of wisdam blamed Manlius;
395. Which] with in R — that] be H.
396. hadde] om. R. 397. Iput] put R.
398. non othir] nomayn R.
410. thoruhout] thoruh R.
418. ther vnkouth straunge] ther straunge vncouth H.
BK. IV]
The Story of Marcus Manlius
48s
For he caused such rumour in the toun.
And for his gilt comaunded hym to prisoun.
Which was in maner hyndryng to his name.
And appalled in parti his noblesse;
For a tyme gan teclipse his fame,
But aftirward the cloude of that derknesse
Bi comoun fauour was turned to cleemesse:
For as it hadde be riht for the nonys.
In his difFence the comouns roos attonis.
First whan thei hadde among ther gret rumowrs.
Mid of ther fell [&] hatful contencioun
Shortli rebuked the worthi senatOMrs,
Because Marcus was sette in prisoun.
Which hadde been so helplich to the toun.
Whom to delyuere thei dyuers menys souhte.
And, as I fynde, euene thus thei wrouhte:
First thei cladde hem in moomyng clothes blake.
Pale of ther facis, pitousli weepyng,
Ther herd vnshaue, ther her to-reende & shake, 444
Lik furious men up and doun rennyng
Tofor the prisoun, al the niht wakyng.
And on his harmes ple3mli to be wreke,
Thei gan man ace the prisoun for to breke. 448
And for to st5mte ther outraious clamour
The senatour[e]s made anon ordeyne
To delyuere hym out of his soiour,
Losne his feteres and to breke his cheyne.
And whan he was delyuered out of peyne.
His list nat stynte, of hasti cruelte
Of proude corage auengid for to be.
And in his furious fel presumpcioun,
Maugre the senat and tribunys euerichon,
Saide he wolde goueme Rome toun.
At whos outrage thei gan disdeyne anon;
The peeplis hertis from hym wer agon,
And for his pride thei bauisement
Assigned hym to come to iugement.
Forsake he was thoruhout the cite, [p.
Ther cam nat oon with hym of his kynreede.
He fond non helpe in his aduersite.
a which lor
420 a time eclipsed
his fame; but
the conuDoas
soon rose in his
defence.
432
rd>uking the
Senate because
AX6 i^. *'*<^ allowed
^^ him to be so
humiliated.
440
and, dressing
themsdves in
black, set up
such a wailing
and tumult
before the
prison.
that the
Senators
ordered
Marcus to be
freed.
But no sooner
452 was he rdeased
than he wanted
to be revenged.
456
and presump-
tuously said
that he would
govern Rome
himself. This
lost him his
popularity.
460
tJ the commons,
464 ^^ ^*' brought
^ ^ to judgment.
436. &] om. J, H 5, R. 452. tobreke B.
486 J The End of Marcus Manlius [bk. iv
SaoifF a fewe cam with hym in deede
Of the comouws, ful feeble at such a neede.
And thus, alas, he fond no resistence 468
Was vailable onto his difFence.
otherhdp"°he Bu^ for socour constteyned and in dreede,
ciothe°^and Awey he putte his clothyng & vesture,
«i"=wed the And naked stood[e], veraili in deede, 472
received in Shewyng his woundis, which he dede endure
defending the • i i i • r
city At many scarmyssh and disconnture.
And for reskus, to speke in woordes fewe.
The Capitoile to them he dide shewe. 476
fouVvdce'to'hisAnd in supportyng eek of his quarell,
At'^thu'^the^' Meeuyng the peeple to rewe on his compleywt,
people began to First to his goddis loudc he dide appell
weep, and the ,_, "^ r i i
judges were so 1 o ptesetuc hym oi that he was atteynt. 480
countenance The pceple aboute hym with teris al bespreynt,
That the iuges astoned wer in deede,
Wher-as thei sat ageyn hym to proceede.
Iebeiifon°?hey ^ut secteli he was lad out of pres 484
had him led out Jq ^ place calUd Frowmentyne,
secretly and » i i i • m
thrown from the And ther, alas, thei wer [so] mercdes
Capitol into the y^. , i • • r ii-
Tiber. liis doom bi rigour tulli to termyne.
Spared nouther noblesse nor lyne: 488
Fro the Capitoile, out of the cheef doniouw,
Lowe into Tibre for to be cast doun.
de°cHbe"by" This was his eende, void of al fauour,
writing the Which no man wolde redressen nor amende, 492
insecuritj' o' t-*- i- i j -r^
those who labor Bi cruclte cast out of that tour,
lor «iDV
community. Which he whilom most knihtli gaw difFende.
But what man can be writyng comprehende
Thunseur socowr fouwde in necessite 496
To them that laboure for any comouwte?
who uusf in^° Lat men beholde, that truste on worldli thynges,
worldly things And namli them that be proude and hauteyn,
consider the r\ ^ i i i
fate of Marcus. Qpne thet cyen, cast up ther lookynges 500
To considre & see weel in certeyn,
475. reskew H.
479. loude] low R. 86. so] om. 4J, R.
488. nor] ne H. 490. a doun H.
498. on] & R.
499. them] thay H, thei R 3, they P — a horizontal line is drawn
over the u in hauteyn, B.
500. Opne] Opon R.
BK. iv3 A Description of Roman Triumphs
487
Who trusteth Fortune, his truste is but in veyn !
And yif ye list a cleer exauwple fynde,
Among remembreth on Marcus in your mynde.
What myhte auaile his noblesse in bataile?
Bies of gold, crownes of laureer?
His riche platis or his vnkouth maile.
His myhti sheeldis, that shon so briht & cleer?
Or his tryumphes, songe ferr & neer,
Or his victories for the cite wrouht? —
In his gret myscheeflF auailed hym riht nouht.
504
\Miat did hit
prowess, his
crowns of gold
and laurel,
his strong
armour and
508 triumphs avail?
[Here Bochas writeth in part ayenst/ suche as
cannot be content with suffisaunce/ but vsurpe
to hihe dignitees.] ^
HEER lohn Bochas callith to memor>'e
The straunge salaire [and] \)e famous guerdoun
Of them l)at gat bi conquest & victorye
Honour of tryumphe withynne Rome toun;
How it was vsid, he maketh mencioun, 516
Ceriousli reherseth the manere.
Which I shal write, yif ye list to heere.
Auis was take first of estatis thre:
Of men of armys, which that wer present,
That sauh in deede the magnanymyte
Of hym that shal haue it be iugement;
Of the clergie thei muste haue eek assent.
And of the senat and peeple most notable, 524
Be preef souht out that he wer founde able.
This prynce also, outher the capteyn.
Which shal the tryu/nphe resceyue of verray riht,
Withyne a chaar, ful richeli beseyn
He shal be set, of gold bornid briht.
Fret with stonis, which shal yiue a liht
Here John
5I2 Bochas tells of
the rewards
received by
those who won
victories for
Rome.
A triumph was
granted with
-,- the assent of
^^° the three
estates.
and the
triumphator
rode through
the city in a
^28 chariot of gold
adorned with
gems
506. laureer] Laureate H.
509 &3orH.
511. mischefFs R — In inn^ margins:
R, "deficit Rubrica"B.
513. salary H — and] om. R, J, P.
523. the] ther R.
525. preef] trouth H.
' MS, J. leaf 87 recto.
'Hie deficit rubrica"
488 A Description of Roman Triumphs []bk. iv
As Phebus doth in his midday speere,
That no dirknesse aboute hym shal appeere. 532
fourwhite This heuenli chaar shal for mor deHt,
horses. Xo shcwc thcncrcs of his knihtli glorie,
Be lad and drawe with foure steedis whiht
Thoruh the cite in tokne of his victorie. 536
And he shal han, for a synguler memorye,
In his riht hand a palme of gold ful sheene,
And on his hed a crowne of laureer greene.
S^ofrin hu "* He shal eek haue aboue al his armure, [p. 215] 540
right hand and Poudrid with palmys a cote of purpil red,
was crowned t i • i r i i i • ii* r
with laurel. In his left hand, his quarelhs tor tassure,
armour he wore A Standard round declaryng his manhed,
pu^pir^wd°ered And al aboue set upon the hed 544
Tnts'iih^^nd The pryncis armys, ful riche of apparaille,
crimen s^tandard^" whos quarell hc accompHsshed the* bataille.
decorated with a ^ r i 'iri JJ111
the arms of his And 01 custum the saia[ej standard shall
elcOTted toTh^e' Be richeli depeynt with red colour. 548
STquMor?^ * And so this kniht, this man most marciall,
Shal be conveied lik a conquerour.
And yit for mor encres of his honour,
Vpon ther feet his prisoneres echon, 552
Take bi his manhod, aboute his chaar shal gon,
goin^g"oTf^\ at The moste worthi faste bi his side,
his side, and ^.l the remnant aftir on hyw lokynge.
was attended * %
by musicians Echon the poctes which in the tou« abide 556
and poets who f,. , i • i • i i
sang his praise, bhal on hym waite at his horn komyng,
Dites deuise and of his conquest synge;
And streeng menstrallis, to bern also record,
Ther instrumentis shal touchyn of accord, 560
hi^^ ride''*" ^^^^ °f entent to yiue hym mor corage.
the most Xo the Capitoile so he shal be brouht,
miserable wretch f^ •11 rii-
in au And list of pride he talle m non outrage,
be°hTnd\im, Nor surquedie withynne his owne thouht, 564
The moste wrech shal of the toun be souht,
Which of custum shal haue a staf in* honde,
And in the chaar behynde his bak up stonde.
545. of] in H.
546. the] in B, R, J.
556. 1st the] of R, of the J, P.
559. bern] been R.
560. of] at R.
566. in] on B. R, J, P
BK. IV]
A Description of Roman Triumphs
489
Gnotos Eolitos in Greek he sholde sejoi, 568
Which in our tunge pleynli doth expresse,
**Knowe thi-silflF," remembryng in certeyn
Vpon Fortiinys froward doubilnesse.
On whom to triste may be no sekimesse. 572
And who that douteth wher that it be thus,
Lat hym remembre the eende of Manlius.
What auailed his triumphes or his bies?
Crownys of gold & perlid fressh tunycles ?
His hih prowesse, or al his cheualries,
Synguler fihtyng or marcial particules,
Newli remembred or rad in old cronicles?
Peise his merites, & see how at the laste,
How into Tibre ther champioun thei caste!
To his excus auailed neueradeel
Fauour of comouns, carect^j of his woundis,
Nor to the goddis his lamentable appel,
Nor remembraunce of ther fraunchised boundis,
Teritories, nor wynyng of the groundis,
Which that he wan with spendyng of his blood, ■
Al knet in on, to hym no sted thei stood.
Heer may ye see how Fortune sodenli
Oeemesse of fame can chaunge to dirknesse,
Glorie* to reproche, worshepe to velany,
And ioie passid to mortal heuynesse,
Swetnesse of sauour* into bittimesse.
And sobimesse into furious rage.
And old fraunchise to thraldam & seniage.
For ther was nouther request nor praier 596
That auailede to his delyueraunce.
In cheynys fetrid, dedli of look & cheer,
Abod the sentence of his fynal greuaunce, —
Pale of face, with tremblyng contenaunce, 600
Whan he, alas, gan mortalli aproche
Of Tarpeia to the hidous roche.
568. Gnothy seanton P — sholde] shal H, R 3.
573. douteth] douteh R.
576. &] or H, R 3, H 5, P.
577. prowesse] prowe R.
578. particles R, J, P, particlis H, R 3, particules H 5.
579. newH. 589. may ye] men may H. 591. Gloire B, J, R.
593. sauour] fauour B, H, R, R 3, H 5.
594. forious R.
595. hraldam R.
saying, "Know
thyself and
remember the
doubleness of
Fortane, ia
whom there is
no trust."
For what
availed the
g^f. triumphs of
5/" Marcus?
580
He was thrown
into the Tiber,
and the favour
of the commons,
^84 his appeal to the
gods, and the
remembrance
of his past
services were at
nothing.
588
That can
Fortune
suddenly change
the brightness
of fame to
darkness, and
592 glory to
reproach.
Fettered in
chains, he
awaited his
sentence, and
was led pale
and trembling
to the Tarpeia a
Rock.
490 The Tarpeian Rock []bk. iv
Iamed°lfteT*a ^f Tarpcia this roche bar the name
lady caiied^^ AftiF a ladi, as maad is menciouw, 604
guilty of ' Callid Tarpeia, which fill in gret diffame
treason, was _, , . ■.
buried under it. because she was assentiQ to tresouw,
Taue brouht enmyes into Rome tou«.
Wherof convict, hir stori is weel knowe, 608
Vnder that roche she was Idolue lowe.
And it was ^his roche also was callid Carmentouw
also callea
Carmenton^^^^ Afftit a woman of gret auctonte
a woman of ' Callid Catmentis, which thoFuh hit hih tenouw 612
great influence, rr^, /-^ • •^ i • i
who built the 1 he Capitoiie made m that cite.
Svented'our And she fond lettres first of our A. B. C,
alphabet. ^^^^ kunyng hadde, among hir werkes all,
Declare afForn[e] thyng that sholde befall. 616
Se7/a°vou'i And on this harde sturdi roche of ston,
nor friendship, Pj-Q ^\^q Capitoile Matcus was cast doun.
Othir fauour nor frenshepe fond he non,
For alle his batailes fouhten for the toun. 620
The comouMS hertis wer turnid up-so-doun,
Whos loue is lik, preued at assay,
A blase of fyr, now briht & now away. 623
Jeopie°mTy " The comou« peeple may bote and crie faste, [p. 216]
make promises, ^g thgj- hettis stedfast wete & stable;
but when the •! l
need comes theyBut at z necde ther promys wil nat laste,
them, Of ther corages thei be so remevable.*
To folwe resouw gerissh and vntretable, 628
Lihtli declynyng, and that is ful gret routhe,
Aftir oppynyouws, & nothyng aftir trouthe.
utms was This Manlius was of his trust deceyued,
deceived and Whos lust vnleeful departed was on tweyne, 632
left to his fate. r-iiiiii j
First whan of pride he wolde ha be resceyued
To hih estat, which he myht nat atteyne,
Wherthoruh the senat gan at hym disdeyne,
And the comouns, ay fals at such a neede, 636
LefFt hym in myscheefF, & took of hym non heede.
609. Idolue lowe3 I don thro we H.
6x6. fallH.
627. remevable] remuable B.
631. This] Thus H.
BK. IV]
An Envoy on false Ambition
491
^ Lenvoye.
IN this tragedie men may beholde & see
The pereilous damages of fals ambicioun,
Of them that benat content wi'tZ; ^er degre,
But wolde up clymbe, lik ther oppynyoun.
To hih estat be vsurpacioun, —
Which nat considre the sentence of scripture,
In a good mene men lengest may endure.
Who that vsurpeth to hier dignite
Than apperteneth to his condicioun.
In roial chaieres for to make his see,
And hath no title of lyne nor resoun,
Thoruh froward pride ful ofte he is put doun;
For lak he seethnat how eueri creature
In a good mene lengest may endure.
Whan Dedalus tauhte his sone [to] flee.
He bad hym first, of hih discresioun,
Fro Phebus heete keepe his wynges fre.
And fro Neptunvs cold congellacioun,
Menyng herbi, for short conclusioun.
That who that list with ioie his staat assure.
In a good mene he lengest shal endure.
Remembre the manhod & magnanymyte
Of Marcus Manlius, which be presumpcioun
Wolde haue gouemed Rome the cite,
Maugre the senat reulid that myhti toun.
Which tumid aftir to his confusioun,
For he sauh nat, such was his auenture.
In a good mene men lengest may endure.
Sume in ther grettest hih prosperite.
Of froward corage and furious mocioun.
In ther gret wele, bi fals duplicite
Han a maner straunge condicioun,
Nat to be content with plente nor foisoun,
Bi a fals etik, which of ther nature
In a good mene ne cannot long endure.
But in this erthe grettest felicite
Is hertis ese, richest pocessioun,
652. to] om. R, J, H, R 3.
659. &] & the R.
674. richesse H.
This tragedy
tdls us of tJie
peril that lies
in the false
640 ambition of
those who, not
contented with
their degree,
wish to climb
to higher estate
by usurpation.
644
Such people
are often put
down; they
cannot sec that
all creatures
best endure
64S when they live
in a happy
mean.
Z-. Dzdalus tdd
"^^ his son to fly
neither too high
mat too low.
656
but Marcus
Manlius,
f^Q content with no
moderation.
664
was like
many others
who in their
highest
668 prosperity are
most _
dissatisfied.
672
Heart's ease
is the greatest
joy on earth.
492 The Story of King Nectanehes [^bk. iv
With suffisauwce content for to be,
Of worldli trouble teschewe thoccasiouw, 676
Meuyng no quarellis, causyng no discencioun,
Nor cleyme nothyng which hard is to recure,
Sithe in good mene men lengest may endure.
PrfncM.'Vou Pryncis, remewbreth in your most mageste, 680
should re- Envie of clymbyng causith diuisioun.
member; for -r-* i r i • i
the envy of Bcth of accotd, ttustith* no comouwte,
high chmbmg ^_-, . , ....
causes only Which, at a poynt, is but decepciouw,
community "is And spccialU fleeth symulacioun. 684
to be trusted, yg may in Marcus seen a pleyw figure,
Which for ambiciouw myhte no while endure.
[How Neptanabus kyng of Egipt / was by zerses
constreyned to fie his kyngdam.] ^
be°gan\o «n A FFTIR the fall of Marcus Manlius,
briefly. the^^tOTy jr\ Bochas anon gaw his stile dresse 688
king of Egypt, Breeffli to telle of Neptanabus,
Kyng of Egipt, and of his gret richesse,
Seyng afForn[e], in al his noblesse
Bi vnkouth crafFt, how he ne myhte chese, 692
That in al haste his crowne he sholde lese.
TstroiogTtha?^ For he was kunnyng in especial,
he should lose ^^d oht cxpett, as maad is mencioun,
his kingdom. '^ . ii- i i-i i
In alle the sciences calhd liberal, 696
And knew afforn bi calculaciouw
How God wolde make a transmygracioun
Of his kyngdam, & pleynli to reporte,
The lond of Perse to Grekis ful transporte. 700
XeraM *hf " ^^ Po"" ^^ ^y"S Zerses out of his cuntre,
went to Greece Maugrc his ttcsor, his cunyng & his miht,
as a magician . » j ^ n
This JNeptanabus constreyned was to nee,
Durste nat abide to haue of hyw a siht. 704
And into Grece he drouh hym anon riht,
Nat lik a kyng, but aftir old writyngis,
Lik a magicien he wrouhte wonder thynges.
677. quarell H — 2nd no^ om. H, R 3, H 5, P.
682. trustith] trust on B, R 3, trust in H S, P.
693. lese] om. R.
704. of hyw to have H.
1 MS. J. leaf 88 recto.
BK. iv] • The Exile of Pausanias, Duke of Sparta
493
712
716
Vpon fortune ferther to proceede, [p. 217] 708
Bi his kunyng he gretli forthered was,
And bi his sleihti werkyng eek in deede
He was aqueynted with queen Olympias,
And so secre, pleynli this the caas,
That upon hir, men seide be deemyng,
Gat Alisaundre, the grete myhti kyng.
But how he fledde out of his regioun,
Of his images nor his illusiouns
Bochas mak[e]th no maner mencioun,
Nor how he wrouhte be incantaciouns,
Nor of his sotil operaciouns,
Nor how that he, lik a man, be nihte
Whilom appeered in the queenys sihte.
Sauf of his deth[e], Bochas writ riht nouht,
Remembryng nouther the tyme nor the date.
How Alisaundre and he* togidre han souht
The cours of sterris toward eue late.
And how his sone, lik as was his fate,
Doun from a bregge bi ful mortal wrak
Cast hym bakward, & so his nekke brak. 728
and there
became so
intimate with
Olympias,
that men said
Alexander was
his son.
Bat Bochas
docs not tell
about either
his flight or
his incantations,
or how he
appeared like a
man by night
to the queen.
720
He wrote only
of his death,
and how
Alexander
724 threw him
off a bridge and
broke his neck.
[How Pausonoy Duk of Lacedemoyne was exiled
by them of AthenysJ ^
THIS was his ende, & aftir this Bochas
Gan in al haste his stile [to] auaunce
Of Pausonyos to tell the pitowj caas.
And al the maner of his woful chaunce.
Which was a duk, & hadde in goueraunce
Lacedemoyne, ther foundyng a cite
Which of old tyme was callid Bisante.
Pausanias, duke
of Sparta,
732
736
Thei of Athenys that cite gat with myht
And it conquered bi ther cheualrie;
And aftirward, wher it wer wrong or riht,
Thei exiled the same Pausanye.
716. nor] nor of H. 720. nihte] myht R.
724. Alisaundre and he] he and Alisaundre B, R, J, P
725. euen R.
730. to] om. J, R, H, R 3, H 5, P, tavaunce Add.
731. Pausanyos H, R 3, Pausonois R, J, Pausonyos H 5, Pa
nias P.
736. gat] gret R.
1 MS. J. leaf 88 recto.
was exiled by
the Athenians
and ended his
life in poverty
and sorrow.
:usa-
494 Heliarchus who was slain by Leonides [|bk. iv
And thus Fortune thoruh hir fals envie 740
Caused that duk, withoute mor delaies,
In sorwe and pouert for to eende his dales.
[How Heliarchus the tirant for extorcion and oppres-
sion, was slayn, by the knight Leonydes.]
frc"urtr?utred A FFTIR the fal[le] sothH of thes tweyne,
all Persia with ±\ lohn Bochaj was meued of coraee 744
his tyranny, ,,.,.. ° '^^
r or to reherse yfith al his bisi peyne
The grete furie & thodious rage
Of Heliarchus, which bi gret outrage,
Thouh he nat was famous in cheualrie, 748
He noied al Perse wtt^ his tirannye.
angr^'y 'an'T'""*' Whcrfor Bochas gan at hym disdeyne,
resolved to Caste hc wolde, onli for his sake,
write against ' ,
tyrants in 1 ouche ot titaunt^j- Hio than on or tweyne, 752
And bi writyng geyn* hem a werre make.
And in his hande he gan a penne take,
Tolde in ordre the pereilous pestilence
Which thei wrouhte bi mortal violence. 756
ffponune Fi^st he dcclateth how Fortune of riht,
had good cause Agevn titantis furious & wood,
to shew her ^ w '
power against Hath ful [good] causc for to shewe hir myht,
Tappalle ther dignites in which* thei stood, — 760
Such as reioysshe for to sheede blood.
Do nat ellis but laboure & deuise
To spoille the peeple in many sondri wise.
SortaT^enemy' And Heliarchus thoruh his cruelte, 764
of a city called ^j^j j^jg conttyued fals extorsiouws
Heradea, and -' - . .
brought the Was mortal enmy to a rair cite
trmtschkf ^^ Callid Heraclie, & many othir touns.
And bi [his] extort fals oppressiouns, 768
As the deede concluded, at a preefF,
Al that contre* he brouhte to myscheefF.
740. hir] his R.
743. falle] fallis H. 745- For] & for H.
753. ageyn B. 759. good] om. J, R, P.
760. which] which that] B, R, J, H 5, P.
760. which] which that] B, R, J, H 5, P.
764. Elearchus P. 767. Heraclie] heliarchie H
770. contre] countee B — to] vn to H, H 5.
1 MS. J. leaf 88 recto.
BK. iv] The Story of Dionysius the Tyrant 495
Tumyng his grace & fauour to hatreede, Sbe^^'a°d
Merci & pite onto cruelte, 772 ^^ S
Fraunchise of peeplis to seruitute & dreede, ^e wa$ hated
Oppressid ther fredam & ther old liberte.
And all ther statutis, bi which thei wer maad fre,
He interupted of force & n at of riht, 776
Which made hym odious in eueri mannys siht.
But to restreyne his grete extorsiouws punisK u!
Fortune this while was nat rek[e]les: S^^*^^'
For his horrible abhomynaciouns 780 through a good
She gan tauale hym, this goddesse merciles, Leonides, who
Bi 1 .. !!• 1 T • i with a comrade
1 a good kniht callid Leonides, took vengeance
Which with a felawe bom of that contre "'^ *^'" ^''^■
Cast on this tiraunt auengid for to bee. 784
Thei dempte it was an almesse deede.
To sette ther lond in quiete & in ese,
Of a tirant the furious blood to sheede,
His inportable malis for tappese, 788
Which to ther cite dede so gret disese.
And of assent, with ther suerdis keene
Thei slouh the tiraunt in ther mortal teene.
Of whos deth many a man was fayn, [p. 218] 792 ^"^a'd'^f'hu
And specialli of Heracle the cite, '^''^•
Dempte it was meedful that he was so slayn,
To sette in quiete al a comounte.
Loo, heer men may the rihtful guerdoun see 796
Of tirauntis, which bi ther violence
Toppresse the peeple ha[ue] no conscience!
[]How the vicious Denys kjmg of Cicile slouh his
brethre and kynrede, and aftir eidled deied at
mischeff.3 ^
AFFTIR this tiraunt, wtt* a ful heuy cheere f^^ntf"''
And contenaunce pitous and lamentablif, 800 P'°jn^'o/'
Onto Bochas Denys dede appeere, ^'^*"'?^.
Which in tirannye was most importable,
Thoruh [al] his land hatful and repreuabl/f.
But, for al that, he gan myn auctowr preie 804
Of his maneres sumwhat to write & seie.
785. elmesse R,
801. Dionise P.
MS. J. leaf 88 verso.
49^ The Story of Dionysius the Tyrant [bk. iv
wouiKr Bochflj list nat rehersen his lynage
tfmentiorhu' ^or make no processe of his geneallogie,
lineage, because Bccausc hc was, with al his gret outrage, 808
he was so full t-> , /. ,, . . , i i i • ^^
of all vices. t ul oi allc viccs, pride and lecherie,
Of auarice, of ire and of envie.
In Cecile he heeld his roial see ,
At Siracusis, a myhti strong cite. 812
mdidout"of This Denys was cursed of nature,
aifhis'reiatfoTs ^°^^ malicious bothe of thouht & deede;
that he might For, as it is remewbrid in scripture,
rule alone ttiii'i i i* i
undisturbed. He slouh his btethre, his cosyns & kynreede, 816
That he allone myhte in pes posseede
Withoute trouble or interupciouw
Of al Cecile the myhti regioun.
i^fe^Hcentious Among his* vices, Boch^j doth specefie, 820
and a drunkard, pje g^n dtawen onto idilnesse,
Folwede his lustis of foul lecherie,
And ofte of custum he fill in dronkenesse.
And thouhte it was most souereyw blissidnesse, 824
Lik as he hadde be maister of Fortune,
To folwe his lustis & ay theryn contune.
wind^inTfat. He wcx tiht fat & wonder corcious,
hef of'^robbers ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ S^" dcrken of ther siht, 828
and aliens That vnwethe this man most vicious
nearly all the Ne miht nat wccl beholde the daies liht.
his^city." ° ° And of malis this tirauwt ageyw riht.
With helpe of robbours & of fals foreyns, 832
Slouh of his cite nih al the citeseyns.
Mp&ant*^ '^ ^^^ vicious lyfF in ordre to reherse
to hear or \yer contagious to the audience;
tell about his ° ^ • A e r,
vicious life. His extort pillages wrouhte in Grece & Perse, — 836
I shall -T) • 11 1 •
briefly relate T or to wtite ot telle hcm lu seuteuce
hiTmen 'desp'oU Wolde infecte the heir with pestilence.
of'wlme"n"of''" But I wil bteefli remembryn & descryue
in^the^tem^b' ^he sacrilcgcs which he dede his lyue. 840
In Venus temple beside Citheroun
A gret[e] nouwbre of womwen he leet call,
Ful weel beseyn; and be oppressioun
He made his meyne vnwarli on hem fall. 844
806. hisT this R. 816. 2nd his] om. H.
820. his] all B, R, J, P. 826. theryn] ther H.
833. the] his H.
at Cythera,
BK. IV3
The Story of Dionysius the Tyrant
497
8s6
Dispoiled them, so that on and all
Bi his outrage and froward violence,
Thei naked stood echon in his presence.
And whan he sauh ther shap & ther fetures, 848
And ches such out as wer to his plesaunce,
Robbyng the remnaunt, took from them ^er vestures
And leet hem goon withoutyn ordenaunce.
And for this vnkouth abhomynable chaunce 852
Ther cite Locrois aros with myhti bond,
For his outrage banshyng hym ther lond.
Another tyme he dide also soioume
Withyne the temple, lik as it is told.
Of lubiter, sone onto Satume.
Ther beholdyng his reliques manyfold,
Sauh among other a mantel large of gold,
Wherupon whan he caste his look,
That riche iewel onto his eus he took.
And thus he saide, hymseluen to excuse, —
"It was to heuy and to comerous
In somer sesoun that mantel for to vse.
Because it was to large & ponderous."
And ouermor he aleggid for hym thus :
** Sithe the gamement forgid was of gold.
For wynter sesoun how it was to cold."
And whan he gan awey the mantel pulle.
Than riht anon this tiraunt deceyuable
GafF hym another sengle maad of wolle,
AfFermede, sothli it was mor couenable, —
To other sesouw mor meete and agreable,
Concludyng thus: "for somer it was liht,*
And warm for wyntir to were the frosti niht."
Another tyme, this tiraunt eek also, [p. 219] 876
Which was of herte most auaricious,
Entrid onys the temple of AppoUo
And of his sone Esculapius.
And whan this tiraunt fel & contrarious 880
Beheld Appollo berdles, that was old.
And Esculapius with a herd* of gold,
854. banysshyng H.
861. vse H.
869. mantel] matil H.
874. liht] to liht B, R, J.
876. R omits to line 2212 inclusive. 882. long herd B, J.
and after he
looked them
over and
chose such as
pleased him,
sent the rest
away naked.
Once when he
saw in the
temple of
Jupiter a mantle
of gold among
the god's
pxjssessions,
860
he said that it
was too heavy
for summer and
not warm
864 enough for
winter, and
took it for
himself.
868
leaving in
exchange a
singlet made of
wool, which he
affirmed was
light enough
872 for summer and
warm for
Another time
he saw a
statue of_
Apollo with a
smooth chin and
an Esculapius
wearing a
beard of gold;
498 An Envoy on Tyrants [|bk. iv
ft^wastSngi"" Quotl Denys thanwe, "as seemeth onto me,
shouid^be^*^''*'^ Heer is a straunge froward convenyence, 884
beardless, pulled That the fadcF berdlcs sholde be,
iEscuiapius' The sone berdid stonde in his presence."
and made off Made anon bi sturdi violence
To take awey the herd, which in his siht 888
Of most fyn gold shon so cleer & briht.
wlntTe"robbed ThoFuh Gtece and Perse wher-euer he dede gon,
Ind u^dTike a ^" ^^ ^^^ tcmpHs this was his vsaunce:
thief. The statli reliques with many riche ston 892
And massifF tablis of myhti gret substaunce.
To take them alle that wer to his plesauwce.
He spared non; thus lyuyng lik a theef
Til he be vengauwce was brouht [vn]to myscheefF. 896
SyricSnshad Sytacusanys, wher he was crowned kyng,
ev°rhab°ts^Lnd ^^^^ °^ assent, thct is no mor to seyne,
banished him, FoF his outtagis & vicious lyuyng,
a fugitive. Thei ban[y]shed hym neuer to kome ageyn. 900
And so this tiraunt, vacauwt, wente in veyn
Aboute the world as a fals fugityfF;
And so at myscheefF this Denys loste his lyfF.
[Lenvoy.]
Si nSing npHIS tragedie yiueth a warnyng 904
not^to'^bl^" X To all[e] tho that haue domynacioun
pillagers and Ouer the pecple, prince, duk or kywg,
Teschewe rauyne and fals extorsioun.
Bit them considre, how bi thoccasiouw 908
Of foul pillage & froward tirannye
This said Denys at myscheef muste die.
iStinateTy Fitst he compassed, falsli imagynyng,
and rejoiced in fo slcn the citeseyns of his roial touw, 912
robbery and -' i • , i
murder; His btethte, his cosyns, his kynrede nat sparyng,
Brouht al his blood onto destruccioun,
In slauhtre he hadde such delectacioun,
Reioisshyng euere in moordre & robberie, 916
Which caused hym at myscheef for to die.
884. froward convenyence] disconvenyence H.
905. tho] om. H.
911. This stanza is misplaced next to the last one of the Envoy H
— First he] He also H.
BK. iv] The Foolishness and Sin of Presumption
499
To spoille templis was most his reioysshyng,
Took al ther tresours to his pOcessioun,
Tablis of gold with stonys fressh shynyng;
Eek fro the* goddis tfce reliques he took doun
Wher-euer he rod in any regioun.
Whos sacrilege & compassed felonie
Caused hym vnwarli in myscheefF for to die.
In Venus temple, be record of writyng,
He dede a foul froward abusioun,
Al gentil- women that cam ther to ofFryng,
Them he dispoiled, as maad is mencioun,
Leet hem go naked, withoute excepcioun.
For which diflFame & gret vngent[e]rie
He banshed was & dede in myscheef die.
Noble Pryncis, remembreth on this thyng:
Compassed malis & fals collusioun
Mut haue euel eende* & come to rek[e]nyng,
Fraude ay with fraude resceyueth his guerdoun.
Hath this in mynde, concludyng on resoun,
That all tirauntis, pleynli to specefie,
Hadde heer short lyfF or dede at myscheeff die.
sacrilegious, he
delighted most
in spoiling
temples and
Q20 the gods of their
relics.
924
In the temple
of Venus he
foully stripped
gentlewomen
of their
clothes and
928 let them go
naked. Finally
he was
banished, and
died in mischief.
Noble Princes,
remember that
such behaviour
932 has no good
end.
936
Q Thauctour ageyn presumpcioi^ [peple and] Princis
balding l)em-self goddis.
YE folk that been astonid in yowr auys
To seen tiraunt^j ^at wer* incorrigible
Left from ther sees, Jxat held hemsilf* so wis,
Thouhte ther poweer was verray inuyncible,
Thouh tofor God nothyng is inpossible;
Wherfor remembreth, & doth nothyng meniaile.
With vnwar fallis thouh Fortune hem assaile.
For whan tirauntis been sette on hih[e] stages
Off dignites, regnyng lik wood leouns,
Ful harde it is to wresten ther corages
Outher to tempre ther disposiciouns.
Worldli felicite so blyndeth ther resouns.
940
Ye who are
astonished to
sec incorrigible
tyrants, who
deemed them-
selves
invincible,
lifted from their
thrones, should
944
948
know that
nothing is
impossible to
God.
921. the] ther B, J.
934. eende] eendyng B, endyng J, ending P.
939. The omission in the heading is supplied from J, leaf 89 recto.
940. wef] been B.
941. held hemsilf] hemsilf held B, hem helde J.
500 The Story of PolycraUs, another Tyrant [bk. iv
As thei to God wer egal of poweer,
And hadde Fortune vnder ther dauwgeer. 95a
?h"nk"of °''''' Record of Denys, that ofte was afFraled [p. 220]
Dionysius. Bassaut of Fortune, lik as was his fate,
For vicious lyuyng thre tymes disamaied,
As his stori remembreth of old date. 956
[m Next on the ryng now kometh Polhcrate
With oon Victurbius, tirauntis of Itaille,
Regnyng lik wolues toppressen the poraille.
vfaurbius wefe Fo^ whan tirauntis in dyuers regiouws 960
itaf""who ^^ surquedie cachche an oppynyouw,
reigned like That thct estatis & domynaciouns
wolves; and f,, ,., j i • i
when such men bholde cucte endure bi long successioun,
pridTthat God As Godde nor Fortune myhte nat putte hew doun, 964
can^n^ot put them g^^ as thei wem in ther estat roiall
This world to reule, to bothe too egall.
and having lost rFifstl towatd God thei ha[ue] lost shame & dreed
all shame and l-^'^j _ lj r • •
dread, laugh Touchynng his guerdouMs outher of loie or peyne, 968
Indifferent atween trouthe or falsheed, —
Ther lust Iserued; no fors who lauhhe or pleyne.
God is forgetyn; at Fortune thei disdeyne,
As bothe wern recleymed to ther lure, 97a
Falsli transcendyng the bouwdis of mesure.
^lows'^h" w"^ ^^^ which sumtyme, as bookes specefie,
favour them for Qod list sufFrc, as maad is menciouM,
she really were That Fottune bi a manct moquerie 976
Tccompiish their Fauourcth suttiwe folk, lik ther oppynyoun
desires. Tcnhauwce ther poweer bi fals decepciouw,
As she wer set, pleynli for to seie,
To serue ther lust & durst nat disobeie. 980
p3ow kyng Pollicrate for extorcion and tirannye
was honged til euery ioynt went from othir.] ^
™» ^th ^^^ TJ ECORD I take on proude Pollicrate,
Poiycrates, Xv Tiraunt of Samwois, beside \>e se Egge,
Samos, Which sote laboured erli & eek late,
Ageyn conscience, of furious cruelte, 984
953. Dionise P. 957. No indication of new ^ in MSS.
967. First] om. J.
971. forgotten P — Fortune] om. J.
975. list] list nat H.
982. Samos P.
MS. J. leaf 89 verso.
BK. IV]
PolycraUs and bit Ring
SOI
QQ to wbom
9«> Fortune shewed
ao many
favours that it
appeaxed almost
as if she wcie
in his power.
992
Taboufzde in richesse & for to ha[ue] plente
Of worldli tresours, deemyng that Fortune ay
To his desirs ne durste nat sey nay.
Fortune to hym hi many dyuers signe
Shewed outward gret toknis of plesaunce,
Was to hym eek riht fauourable & benigne
In al hir port bamaner attendaunce, .
As she hadde been vnder his obeissaunce
To stuffe his coffres witi? tresowrs lokked faste.
Of fals entent to mokke hym atte laste.
Alle worldli richesse his lustis dede obeie; bdiv^'**Bnt
And whan he fond she was so fauourable, 906 «^ben te was
' '^ seated highest
For a sesoun, as she that list to pleie, atthetaWeof
This blynde goddesse, vnseur & euere* vnstable, decided to give
Set hym so hih[e] up at Famys table, "° *
Of fals entent, in his estat roiall 1000
Whan he sat hiest to make hym haue a fall.
For in hymsilff of pride he gan to deeme
How that he stood most in prosperite
Of them that wered crowne or diadeeme, 1004
Aboue al other in most felicite.
And thus enhaunsed in his roial see,
Thouhte hym egal with goddis in comvne,
Fer from al daunger of Fate or of Fortune. 1008
And for tatempte of goddis the poweer.
And of Fortune the variaunt doubilnesse,
He took a ryng of gold ful briht & cleer,
Theryn a rubi of excellent richesse,*
Sekyng occasioun of sum newe heuynesse,
WTiich neuer aiFom hadde knowe of no such thyng, —
Into the se anon he cast his ryng,
Dise[s]peired ageyn [it] to recure.
For he dempte it was an inpossible.
But rihte anon fissheres of auenture,
Lik a meruaile vertay incredible,
Among the wawes hidous & horrible
Caste in ther nettis, yiflr" it wolde auaile,
Takyng a fissh, the ryng in his entraille.
He thod^t in
his pride that he
was an eqnal
oi the gods.
and to tempt
their power
and the
doobleness of
Fortnna, he
cast a rich ring
IOI2 into the sea.
g not hoping ever
to see it again.
Yet a fish
swallowed it and
soon afterwards
was caught and
presented to
him at a feast,
1020 and his carver
found the ring
in its inside.
998. & euere] euere & B.
999. so hihe up at] hih upon H. ICX34. or] of H.
ICXD8. al] al l)e H — 2nd of] om. J — or] & H.
IOI2. richesse] rednesse B, J.
502 The outrageous Presumption of Poly crates Qbk. iv
Which was presented at a solempnite
To PoUicrate with ful gret reuerence, 1024
Whan he sat crowned in his most dignite
At a feeste of famous excellence.
The fissh vndon anon in his presence,
Mid thentrailles his keruere fond the ryng 1028
Of auenture, & took it to the kyng.
Poiycmes^ Which demptc of pride and hih presumpcioun,
believe that That Ncptunvs, god of the sake se,
Neptune, not tt i i r i • i • •
daring to offend Hadde ot his rvng maad restituciouw, 1032
his majesty, \ ^ ^ rr ^ i •
had restored to And durstc nat oitende his mageste.
IS ring. \Yi^gj.ypQfj 2 fantasie kauht he,
Nouther heuenli goddis no[r] Fortune blywde of siht
Wer bothe vnhardy tatempte ageyn his myht. 1036
Forti^e'^w^e^f His gtct outragc to God was nat vnknowe; [p. 221]
aware of his And his presumpciouw Fortune hath weel espied,
presumption and i-ii i i • i rjii*i_
threw him down For which she maad aduersite been[dej hir bowe,
expected it. And of hir wheel the spokes she hath so guyed, 1040
Wheron he sat most richeli magnefied.
That he vnwarli doun from his hih noblesse
Was brouht ful lowe in sorwe & wrechchidnesse.
nevermo'r'e to I" worldly* glorie nothyng is mor to dreede, 1044
bejeared than Than whan Fortune is most blandisshywg,
most smiling. And that hit flatri is fret with worldli meede,
Hih on hir wheel to make foolis synge;
Than of hir nature sorwe she doth [in] brynge, — 1048
Witnesse of princis, of olde or newe date.
And record also of proude PoUicrate.
Srde"^'''fals Sumtyme he sat hih on Fortunys wheel,
not steel, and Qf prospeHte with bcmys cleer shynywg, 1052
is unsafe to Whos temple is maad of glas & nat off steel;
stand upon. tt- * • i ^• i' i
Hir* cristal yys vnwarli dissoluyng,
Thouh it be fressh outward in shewyng,
Vnseur to stonde on, & brotil for tabide, 1056
Who trusteth most, most likli is to slide.
?o'ns"tabie^began This gerissh queen, of cheer & face double,
awaronSamos, Withdtouh hir fauour & began to varie
Fro Pollicrates, sette hym in sorwe & trouble, 1060
Wex ageyn hym maliciousli contrarie,
1028. be Entraile H, the entrail R 3.
1040. nir wheel]] his queele H. • • d
1044. worldly] wordlisB, J — glorie] ioy P. 1054. Hir] His B.
BK. iv]
The shameful Death of Polycrates
503
Causyng Orontes, constable wit^ kyng Dane,
Maugre this tiraunt in his most cruelte,
To gynne a werre on Sammoys his cite.
And whan his glorie was most cleer of liht,
And his noblesse shon hiest atte fulle,
Fortune gan thoruh hir chaungable myht
Of his prosperite the fethris for to pull.
And thanne at erst his corage gan to dull,
And alle his pride vnwarii for tappalle,
Whan he was spoilled of his richessis alle.
First whan Orontes his contre gan assaill.
This PoUicrate of sodeyn auenture
Outraied was & taken in bataill
Bi a full pereilous mortal disconfiture.
Thus koude Fortune bryngen him* to lure
Thoruh hir vnwar, ougli, fals disdeynes,
Lad into* prisoun & bounde in stronge cheynis.
The peeple [that] duelte withynne his regeoun
Reioisshed in herte to seen hym sufFre peyne.
His tirannye, his fals extorsioun
Caused that thei dede at hym disdeyne;
For of his deth[e] no man list compleyne.
Men thoruh the wor[l]d be glad & ha[ue] plesaunce 1084
To seen a tiraunt brouht onto myschaunce.
Foure thynges his torment^/ dede aumente:
Sodeyn departyng from his old richesse,
And that he sauh ech man in his entente
Of his myscheef ha[ue] so gret gladnesse;
Hanged he was, myn auctowr berth witnesse.
And heeng so long in tempest, reyn & thonder,
Til eueri ioynt from other went assonder.
To beestis wilde & foulis* rauynous,
Naked he heeng; such was his auenture:
To alle folk he was so odious,
Had in despiht off euery creature.
At his departyng denied sepulture, —
1064
and when Poly-
crates' glory
shone brightest,
Fortune began
to pull the
feathers of
I06S his prosperity.
T_-- He was taken
^°/2 j„ battle and
chained in
prison;
1076
and because he
was a tyrant,
1080 "^'^ subjects
were glad to
see him su&er.
He lost his
great posses-
sions and saw
that men
1088 rejoiced at
his fall; and
after that, he
was hanged.
1092
1096
So odious he
was to all
folk, that they
even denied
him a decent
burial.
1065. liht] siht H.
1068. for] om. H.
1071. richesse H.
1076. fortune koude bryngen hir B, fortune coude bringen him J.
1078. onto B. 1079. that] om. J.
1086. his torment//] this Tiraunt H.
1093. foulis] folkis B, J.
S04
Thus may
tyrants, who
resemble cruel
wolves, find
their reward
in hell with
Polycrates.
The Murder of Callisthenes by Alexander [bk. iv
Guerdouw for tirauntis vengable & rekles,
That kanwat sufFre the peeple to lyue in pes.
Thus may tirauntis excedyn[g] ferr J)^r bouwdis iioo
Bi fals outrage, ful weel resembled be
To cruel woluys or to furious houndis,
Fret with an etik of gredi cruelte.
To stauwche ther hunger auaileth no plente. 1104
Which for ther surfetis, froward for to reede,
With Pollicrates in helle shal ha[ue] ther meede.
[How the tiraunt Alisaundre/ slouh his philosophre
Calistenes wit/i othir for seyng trouthe.] ^
Bochas next
heard the sad
story of
Callisthenes,
dismembered
for his fidelity,
AMOiV^G alle stories to tell l^e pitOMJ caas
Of woful pleyntifFs \>at put hemsilf \n pres
^ith weepywg eyen, my« auctowr lohn Bochax
Was meued in herte nat to be rek[e]les
To write the fall^ of Calistenes,
[The] which, alas, as it is remembred,
Was for his trouthe on pecis al dismembred.
and thought Yox whan Bochas his story gan aduerte,
that even a .,.-.
man with a fjg dempte anon m his fantasie,
heart of stone 111 11 1
would be jMo man hadde so harde a stonen herte,
move y It to yj^^^ mihtc of riht his eyen keepen drie.
To seen the processe of his tormentrie.
Yit gaw myn auctoMr his woful penwe profFre
To write the wrong don to this philisophre.
Callisthenes. 'pj^jg Calistenes, in youthe riht weel thewed,
virtuous in • 1 1
youth, devoted j^jg greeue age promotid to doctryne,
to philosophy, Bi influence of heuenli fate adewed,
Gretli to proffite in moral disciplyne,
Disposid of nature bi grace, which is dyuyne.
To conquere, as bookis specefie.
The noble surname of philosophic.
1 108
at whose
breasts he was
fed, and to
whose milk no
earthly balm
may be
compared.
II16
I124
I128
Of his merites, famous & notable,
Philosophic dede hir besi peyne
To yiue hym souke, because that he was able,
The soote mylk of hir brestis tweyne,
Most precious licour, who myhte therto atteyne: 1132
IIOO. exceden J.
I III. Calisthenes P.
II 12. The] om. J.
1 MS. J. leaf 90 recto.
BK. iv] The Murder of Callisthenes by Alexander
SOS
For bawme is non, the vertu weel declared,
Of worldli richesse may be therto cowipared.
This precious pyment is youe vnto no foolis,
Aboue all lico^rs it doth so ferre excell, 1136
Whos origynal sprang in the hooli scoolis
Of Athenys, as famous bookis tell;
For of philosophie ther sprang out first ^e well,
Wher Calistenes, thexperience is kouth, 1140
With fulsum plente was fostred in his youth.
Thouh he was bor[e]n of a good lynage,
Vertu maad hym mor hih up for tascende,
To been enhauwsed for noblesse of corage
Moor than for blood[e], who can comprehende:
For philisophres & clerkis mor commende
The moral vertues entresoured be writyngis,
Than al the tresours of worldli crowned kynges. 1148
Of gentil stokkes rekne out the issues,
That be descendid doun from a roial lyne:
Yif l)ei be vicious & void of al vertues
And ha[ue] no tarage of vertuous disciplyne, n
With temporal tresour thouh thei florshe & shyne,
As for a tyme sittyng on hih[e] stages,
Withoute vertu thei ar but ded images.
For thouh princis ha[ue] conquered be bataill^
This world in roundnesse bi ther cheualrie.
What may ther tryumphes or noblesse auaill^,
Withoute that vertu be riht ther titles guye,
To be compared vnto philosophie?
For philisophres applie al ther ententis
To knowe heuene & cours of elementis.
Thei sette no stoor of thynges transitorie,
Nor of Fortunys expert doubilnesse; 1164
To heuenli thynges is set al ther memorie,
How the seuene planetes in ther cours hem dresse,
Meuyng of sterris, sparklyng in ther brihtnesse,
With reuoluciouns of the speeds nyne, 1168
Moodres of musik, as auctowrs determyne.
And in the noble tweyne famous housis
Flouryng in Grece, richest of euerichon,
Cald bi old date the faire trewe spousis 1172
It is never
given to
dunces, and first
sprang from the
schools of
Athens, where
Callisthenes
was fostered.
Though bom
of good family,
virtue saw that
he ascended
1 1 44 e'^'eo higher:
for moral worth
is greater thaa
descent from
royal line.
g Though princes
^ conquer the
world by battle,
their triumphs
avail little
unless they are
guided by
, virtue.
I160
Philosophers do
not care for
transitory
things, but turn
to the seven
planets, the
mothers of
music.
Athens and its
Academy were
the bright
lanterns of the
world.
1135. is] was H. 1166. ther] l)e H.
So6
Callisthenes
studied in the
schools of
Socrates and
Plato, who held
the key of
secret mysteries
and of the
divine idea,
and had
all sciences
bidden within
their breasts.
He was
also a pupil of
Aristotle, who
chose him to
attend
Alexander,
when Alexander
asked him to
send him a
philosopher to
magnify his
conquests by
good counsel,
to record his
triumphs.
and to direct
him in moral
virtue.
The great Excellence of Callisthenes [bk. iv
Of philisophres, many mo than oon,
In Achademye & in Athenys shon
The briht lanternis of most reuerencis,
This world tenlumyne hi liberall sciences. 1176
And among other this Calistenes
Was in his youthe put for to scoleie
In the too scooles of prudent Socrates
And of Plato, which that bar the keie 1180
Of secre mysteries & of dyvyn Ideie.
In which too scooles of gret habilite
Was non proffited haliF so moch as he.
These olde clerkis, these too philisophres 1184
Wer in tho daies for doctrine souereyne
Callid in this world the riche precious cofFres
And tresoreris, that kepte the chestis tweyne
Amyd ther brestis, wheryn God ded ordeyne, 1188
Most cleer pocessiouw put in ther depos,
Of alle sciences vnder a keye cloos.
This Calistenes, scoleer & auditour
Of Aristotiles, bi kunwyng cowqueryng 1192
The noble gemwe & the most precious flour
Of philosophic, al flottr[e]s surmountyng,
Wherthoruh he was chose in his lyuyng,
As his maister list for hym prouide, 1196
On Alisandre tawaiten & abide.
For Alisaundre, of kynges most enteere
And most worthi, to speke of hih prowesse,
Dede Aristotiles humbeli requere, 1200
To prouide & doon his bisynesse
Bi expert knowyng & auysynesse
To sende hym oon, which of philosophic
Mihte bi good counsail his conquest magnefie. 1204
To write also his tryuwphes digne of glorie [p. 223J
And to remembre his actis marciall,
Put his palmys of knihthod in memorie,
And to directen in especiall 1208
His roial noblesse in vertu morall,
That non errour be sey[e]n heer nor there
In hym that sholde al the world conquere.
1178. for] forth H, R 3 — scoleys H. 1180. keys H.
II81. Ideies H.
1210. be] wer H. 121 1. the] this H.
BK.
IV]
Alexander s Aspiration to be a God
SO?
1232
But it fill so of knihtli auenture,
That of Fortunis hih promocioun,
That he hi armys proudli gan recure
Of Perse and Mede the myhti regioun,
Brouhte kyng Darie onto subieccioun, 1216
Gat hool his tresour, that no man myhte expr^sse
Tacounte the noumbre of his gret richesse.
Which vnseur tresour & slidyng habundauwce,
With wastyng shadwes of godis transitorie,
In surquedous pride gan so his herte auaunce
Bi fals ambiciouw & outraious veynglorie,
That made hym lese mywde & eek memorie,
To knowe of nature he was no man mortall,
But lik to goddis that wer celestiall.
Aboue the palme of old[e] conquerowrs,
Knihtli tryumphes, conquestis marcial.
He vsurped be title of his labours
To heuenli goddis for to been egal.
And thoruh his merites most imperiall.
He gan presume be lyne he was allied
With the seuene goddis for to be deified.
Thoruh al his paleis & his roial halle
A lawe he sette, upon peyne of lyfF,
That men of custum sholde hym name & calle
This worldis* monarke, nat mortal nor passifF,
Sone to lubiter for a prerogatyfF,
Which hadde the erthe, as god most of puissaunce,
Conquered bi swerd onto his obeissaunce.
Bi ful auys purposed for the nonys,
Of pompous outrage & surquedous entente,
Ful gret tresor of gold & precious stonis
Vnto the temple of lubiter he sente,
That the bisshoppis & preestis sholde assente
Hym to resceyue at his hom komyng
Lik as a god, & lik no mortal kyng.
Thus bextort dreed & bi vsurpid myht
Was first brouht in foul idolatrie,
Causyng pryncis to resceyue ageyn riht
Godli reuerence of froward maumetrie.
But whan Calistenes this errour dede espie
1221. auaunce]] enhaunce H, enhance R 3, H 5.
1222. outraious] contagious H.
1236. Thes wordis H — wordlis B. 1246. kyng] thyng H, P
But after his
1212 conquest of the
Medes and
Persians,
Alexander grew
proud, and,
1220 °° ^^^e^S
considering
himself a mortal
man.
1224
aspired to be an
equal of the
seven gods of
heaven and
1228 presumed to be
deified.
He ordained
that men should
call him the
son of Jupiter,
1236
1240
1244
and bribed the
priests to
receive him as
a god.
Thus idolatry
originated.
But when
Callisthenes
saw Alexander's
error, he
endeavored to
correct it.
5o8
Five proofs he
gave him that
he was only
a mortal man:
His father
and mother
were worldly
folk and in
no respect
celestial, and
both of them
had died.
They were
subject to
various passions
and infirmities,
and nothing
deified them
on earth but
flattery and
dread.
Alexander
himself, for all
his power,
suffered
the passions of
health and
sickness.
Once he became
very ill from
bathing in the
Nile when over-
heated and
nearly died,
and when finally
he recovered, it
was through
medicine and
not divine
power.
Alexander's Aspiration to be a God \jiVi. IV
In Allsauwdre, he bisili dide entende 1252
This fals oppynyouw to correcte & amende.
Bi fyue causes, notable to reherse,
This CaHstenes in especial,
Thouh he was kyng of Egipt, Mede & Perse, 1256
He preued of resouw he was a man mortall,
His berthe eek erthli & nat celestiall,
Fader, mooder as of ther natures
Born for to deie lik other creatures. 1260
His fader Phelipp, of Macedoyne kyng,
His mooder callid Olympiades,
Worldli folk & heuenli [in] no thyng,
With kyngis, queenis upset bi hih encres. 1264
Yit ageyn deth thei koude ha[ue] no reles,
Lawes of nature maugre ther will tobeie,
Nat lik goddis, but onli born to deie.
Kynde made hem subiect to sundri passiouws 1268
And many vnkouth dyuers infirmytes.
Now glad, now heuy of condiciouws,
Folwyng the fourme of ther humanytes.
But of ther false vsurpede dietes, 127a
I can nat seyn, sauff dreed & flat[e]rie
Wrongli in erthe dede hem deifie.
Eek.AlisaMndre folwyng euere his lust.
For al his lordshepe & his gret[e] myht, 1276
He sufFred passiouns of hunger & of thrust,
Now hool, now sik, now heuy and now liht.
Whos entrechaungyng in euery mannys siht
Cleerli shewed, cleerkis reherse kan, 1280
He was no god, but lik a mortal man.
It fill onys, myn auctowr doth compile.
In a gret heete, long or he was old,
He bathed hymsilfF[e] in the flood of Nile, 1284
Wher of fortune he sodenli took cold :
His pooris opnede on parties manyfold,
Lay long aftir, his story berth witnesse.
Or he was curid of that gret seeknesse. 1288
But at the laste, bi crafFt of medecyne [p. 224]
Delyuered he was of that infirmyte,
Nothyng amendid bi his power dyuyne,
Bi myht of luno nor lubiteres pouste, 1292
1264. upset bi3 set up to H. 1277- 2nd of] oft H.
BK. iv] Alexander rebuked by Callisthenes 509
Nor bi his owne vsurpid deite:
For bi the passiouns which he dede endure,
It shewed he was a dedli creature.
OfF hym also it is maad mencioun, 1296 "'b^'" getting
He hadde in custum to falle in dronkenesse, ^^P-^ f.^'^
acting like a
Thoruh vinolence loste ofte his resoun; madman which
_,..,.., was hardly a
Ihan or ire and lunous hastynesse proof of
He wolde smyte & hurte in his woodnesse. i3cx3 "'""^''•
Which toknys wem, pleynli to termyne,
In his persone nat heuenli nor dyuyne.
Whan the philisophre callid Calistenes Sd'^«a"der
Gan first considre al thes condiciouns 1304 '^. these things
T Ai- 11 1 -irr • ''^ without fear or
In Alisandre, he put hymsiut in pres, dissembling.
Void of dissymulyng or long* dilaciouns,
For to refFourme such fals ambiciouns
Of godly honours,* which men dede on hym feyne,i3o8
And from all vices his corage to restreyne.
In this purpos as eny centre stable, him^Uif'h^
He cast hym fulli of trewe entencioun of * champion.
To correcte al that was repreuable 1312
Vsid in his persone or in his regeoun.
Trouthe gaff hym herte lik a champioun.
To telle the kyng in his estat roial.
He was no god, but as a man mortal. 1316
For which*the kyng of indignacioun E^me's^'"^
Kauhte a quarel ageyn Calistenes, ^°^' ^^^ ^^
/ .° -',. - , openly accused
rut upon hym vniustli tais tresoun, Caiiisthenes of
Onli to slen his maister causeles. 1320 siay'him,
And for tateynte hym, afFor[n] al the pres
Saide how he hadde of his iniquite
Conspired ageyn his roial mageste.
And feyned also, the silue same tyme, 1324 "^ u^r^j,'!
How he had maad a conspiracioun fuUythatCaUis-
Ageyn his lord, bi an horrible cryme interfered with
Interuptyng the relegioun UVh 'S°had
Of his dyuyne institucioun; 1328 fn^"med. and
That in such caas, ther was no bettir reed, musl^d^e.
But Calistenes bi lawe mut be ded.
1298. vinolence3 violence H — ofte] ofFten^ H.
1306. or long] & B.
1308. godly honours] goodli honour B, J, godly honour P.
13 16. as] om. H, P, H 5.
1321. for] om. H. 1324. And] om. H.
510 The pitiful Death of Callisthenes [bk. iv
S'Llarld^And to prolonge of his deth the peyne,
hlf ey«"'^°"^'^P°" ^ boord he was leid along, 1332
His feet smet of & his hondes tweyne,
His eyen rent out: wer nat his peynes strong?
Thus kan tiraunt<fj, whan them list do wrong,
Slen philisophres withoutyn any routhe, 1336
Which spared nat for to seyn hem trouthe.
fipf and nJsuUs. This ctuel vcugaunce mihte nat suffise;
and exhibited gy^ AUsaundte, mor tencrece his wo,
his mutilated i-^,, ,....- .
body to the Dede Kuttc his lippis m ful cruel wise, 1340
His nose-thrillis, his eres eek also.
And with the bodi he badde men sholde go
Toforn his host[e], as it is remembrid.
To shewe the trunke, how it was dismembrid. 1344
wl'sVrowninto I" & caue, deep & wonder lowe,
fiii'^f "^ T'^ Solitarie, dirked al the bouwdis,
filled with A r • 1 i i
madly barking Aftit the[s] peynes he made hym to be throwe,
The place stuffid with wood berkyng houndis, 1348
Of fals entent to reende his bloodi wouwdis.
Til Lisymachus, of gret compassiouw.
To shorte his torment gaf [to] hyw poisoun.
Lystmachus Who tadde euer of totmentis motc* tcrdble ! 1352
'^Te^him°"oi'fdn ^ AHsauwdre, thou ouhtest been ashamed
to shorten his To slen thi cletk with peynes so horrible,
Alexander, you For thi vicis because he hath the blamyd!
ashamed of Thi toial name therbi is difFamyd, 1356
yourself! g^^ ^^^^ tirauwt^fj, wha« them list be wood.
Of innocent^j reioisshe to sheede [the] blood.
befng'ashared, Agcyn this kniht, gentil Lisymachus,
he was so Bccausc he hadde of hym compassiouw, 1360
furious with T^ Al' 1 II*
Lysimachusthat Kyng Alisauwdte was malencolious.
he shut him -j-rT- i • i rr •
up with a fierce Withoute cause, title or ortensioun
'°°" Leet shet[e] hym up with a fers leoun.
Void of al helpe for to be socourid, 1364
Of entencioun he sholde be deuoured.
LysTm^chus ^^^ Lysymachus quit hym lik a kniht
ran at the lion Ageyn this leouw in the same place.
like a kniKnt . . ,
and rent out Ran fetsU on hym, & of his marcial myht 1368
which brave Out of his hed his* tunge he dede arace.
hfm'^to"^°'''^ Reconciled to the kynges grace,
favour. I33I' to] om. H. 1351. to] om. J, P — to hym gaf H.
1352. more] most B. 1362. offensioun] afFeccioun H.
1369. his] the B.
BK. iv] The unreasonable Cruelty of Alexander 511
Because that he so knihtli hath hym born,
Bettir cherisshed than euer he was beforn. 1372
Another kniht, that caUid was CHtus, [p. 225] ^^^^^^^
Famous in armys for his cheualrie, IriSid^ofMe"*
On the grettest of the kyngis hous, i^ing,
And most comendid of prudent policie, 1376
Most famyler, as bookis specefie,
Aboute the kyng, as it was ofte preued,
To tempre his corage whan he was agreeved, —
The kyng & he walkyng bond be bond 1380 IhlpP'^"*^
Withynne the paleis, beyng in presence ^xi^der's
Princis, dukis of many dyuers lond, Ai"*°'d' ^'^•"
Wher thei began be notable elloquence hi» envy. '
Remembre of armys the marciall* excellence 1384
Of conquerours & worthi knihtis olde;
And eueri man aboute his tale tolde.
Among[e] which Clitus, that gentil kniht,
Gan to comende & gretli magnefie 1388
Phelipp Macedoyne, as hym ouhte of riht,
Bothe of [his] wisdam & his cheualrie.
Til Alisaundre hadde therat envie,
Gan disdeyne of furious cruelte 1392
That any sholde be comendid mor than he.
Cauhte occasioun of ire & fals hatreede '^it't'^i swoTd
Ageyn [tjhis kniht, that was to hym most trewe, ""J? J'""^ 4°*'
„f. f , , ,. , , 111 ^^^"^^ proved
With a sharp swerd vnwarli made hym bleede, 1396 Jj^?*. f" ^^^
His herte blood, hoot & red of hewe, was not even
B- 1 • • J 'ii 1 r a reasonable
1 his sides raiilyng dou7t 01 newe, — man.
Therbi to preue, this stori telle can.
He was no god nor resonable man. 1400
Thus in pryncis furious & cruell
Men may cleerli an euidence see,
How ther lordshipe is nat perpetuell.
But ful of chaung & mutabilite: 1404
Of cheer now freendli, now sodeyn enmyte;
Record on Clitus, most in the kyngis grace,
Vnwarli slayn, & dede no trespace.
1372, befom3 ageyn tofom^ H.
1375. On3 oon of H.
1378. as3 om. H.
1384. marciall^ notable B, J.
1393. That] ban H.
1399. this3 his H, R 3.
512
An Envoy on Callisthenes
[bk. IV
&u friendi Was hc wotthi to be deified, 1408
fiVKger* 'T^^s Alisandre, most double of his corage ?
was certainly Qr was He wortHi to be stellefied,
not worthy to ,^, . - . . r i • r i
be deified. 1 hlS tUFlOUS pfinCC lOF his lel outfagc,
That slouh his freendis in his mortal rage? 1412
Thus far[e]n tirauwtis whan them list be wood,
To seeke occasioun for to sheede blood.
SraS°8haT' Calisten slayn for moral disciplyne,
deceived''* And Lysymachus for his compassiouw! 1416
Eek this tiraunt of fals gredi rauyne
Slouh gentil Clitus ageyn trouthe & resouw,
As ye han herd, for comendacioun
Of kyng Phelipp, this stori weel conceyued, — 1420
Who trusteth tirauwtis shal sonnest be deceyued !
This tragedy
tells_ about
Callisthenes,
who was slain
by Alexander
Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie off Calistenes
Declareth vs be notable remewbrauwce,
He was wtt^ Plato & old Socrates
In his youthe put vnder gouernaunce.
Drank of the mylk bi plenteuous habundaunce
Of ther too scooles, euer deuoid of slouthe,
Last bi Alisaundre dismembrid for his trouthe.
thrt"ruth.'' '*"^ F^rst he was sent bi Aristotiles
For tawaite bi prudent purueyaunce
On Alisandre, list he wer rek[e]les,
Bi presumpcioun in his roial puissauwce
To take upon hym godly* attendaunce.
Which he withstood; alas, it was gret routhe.
To be so slayn because he seide trouthe!
S'^tyTants''''* ^^° ^^^^ tirauntis list put hywsilfF in pres,
must be able To hauc thet fauour & stormy aqueyntaunce.
He mut kunne* flatre & fage dout[e]les.
Be double of herte, with feyned contenaunce,
With cheer contreued doon his obseruauwce:
For feithful menyng slayn, & }^at was routhe.
Is* Calistenes because he seide trouthe.
to flatter and
lie and be
deceitful of
heart.
1424
1428
1432
1436
1440
1433. goodli B, J, goodly R 3, P.
1436. list] om. H.
1438. kunne] kum B, come H, P.
1442. Is] In B.
BK. IV]
Thf Story of Alexander of Epirus
513
Noble Pryncis, yowr subiectis keepe in pes,
Beth nat to hasti for to do vengaunce; 1444
For to tirzuntes that be merciles
God sent short lyfF & sodenli myschaunce.
Who seith [you] trouthe, hath no displesaunce,
Preente in your herte, how it was gret routhe 1448
That Calistenes was slay[e]n for his trouthe.
Noble Princes,
be not too
hasty to do
vengeance, for
Goa grants
short life to
tyrants.
[How AlisauTidre kyng of Pirothe auentmyng to
passe the flood of Acheronte, there at his bak/
bi his most trusty was dedly wounded.j ^
AFFTIR the cowpleynt of Calistenes,
Slayn tirauntli & dede no tr«pas,
Czm AHsaundre kyng of Pirothes, 1452
His woundis bleedyng, onto lohn Bochas,
To hym declaryng* how he drowned was
In Acheronte, a ryuer of gret fame.
Beside a toun, Pandosia was the name.
Alexander, king
of Epims, next
appeared before
Bochas, telling
him how he
was drowned
in the Acheron,
And as it is remembred & Itold
Of this notable myhti strong cite.
It was in Grece bilt be daies olde,
And aftir Pirrus callid Pirothe,
Wher-as the kyng heeld his roial see.
And as Bochas also doth* determyne,
This Alisaundre cam of the same lyne.
Of whos kynreede is maad pleyn mencioz^n,
Sone to Achilles was this knyht* Pirrus;
And next in ordre bi successioun,
Fader to Alisaundre was Neptolonius,
Which hadde also, myn auctowr tellith thus,
A ful fair douhtir, the story ye may seen,
Olympiades, of Macedoyne queen.
And she was weddid to Phelipp Macedo,
Whilom mooder, this queen of most renoun,
To Alisaundre, the stori tellith so,
1456
[p. 226]
near~the city
of Pandosia,
that was built
long'ago.
1460
1464
Pyrrhus was son
of Achilles; and
Neoptolemus,
next in order,
was the father
of this
Alexander and
,g of Olympias,
1400 queen of
Macedon,
1472
who married
Philip and
became mother
of Alexander
the Great.
1446. sodenli] sodeyn J, R 3, H 5, sodeine P. 1447. you] om. J.
1454. declaryng] declared B, J, P.
1460. callid] cam H.
1462. as] otn. H, R 3, H S — Bochas also doth] bookis also
B, J, P.
1465. this] the J — knyht] kyng B.
^ MS. J. leaf 91 verso.
514 '^be Story of Alexander of Epirus (^bk. iv
Which al the world brouht In subiecciouw.
Whos fader PheHpp, of gret afFeccioun,
Leet crowne the brother of Olympiades, 1476
CalHd AHsauwdre, to regne in Pirothes.
Ep?ras'^was°^ To whom [kyng] Phelipp, for his gret beute,
Phnrp,whoui;d Because he was so fair a creature,
nLTuA**'"^^ Hadde such affecciouw & specialte, 1480
As it is remembred in scripture,
Of fals foul lust ageyn[e]s [al] nature,
As seith Bochas, I can hyw nat excuse,
VnleefFulli he dede his beute vse. 1484
horHbirdee^d, And bi mene of that horrible deede,
wrfte'TboCt! '° Which to rchcrse is to foul a thyng,
This said[e] Phelipp, in Bochas thus I reede,
In Epirothes he made hym to be kyng; 1488
And of extorsioun, be record of writyng,
Causeles fro thens he dede enchace
The kyng Arabba, tho regnyng in that place.
AieSef' And it fill aftir, the stori tellith so, 1492
invaded Italy. Qf this AHsauwdte, be cerious rehersaille,
Vpon the deth of Phelipp Macedo,
With a gret host [he] cam into Itaille,
Supposyng gretli for to auaille 1496
To occupie, aftir his proude entent,
Hooli the bouwdis of al the Occident.
dew'itedTim^ And thouh so be that Fortune be chaungable,
hfrn'^victoiy "^ Double also, bi cours of hir nature, 1500
irinccl ''^"^'^ ^^ ^^^ gynwyng he fond hir fauourable:
Made hym twies proudli to recure
Geyn them of Luk, to ther disconfiture
To haue the feeld, & maugre al ther myht 1504
Of verray force to putte hem vnto fliht.
S'wa'i'in'^'" Ageyn Itaille whaw he gan this werre,
Italy, FuUi in purpos the Romeyns to assaille.
Of hih presumpciouM proceede he gan so ferre, 1508
With many prince that was in his bataille,
To knowe afforn bi certeyn dyuynaille.
Of his conquest the boundis for to caste,
And of his lyfF how longe it sholde laste. 1512
1478. kyng] om. J. 1482. al] om. P, J.
1488. Epirus P. 1491. Arribba H.
1493. cerious] Curious H. 1495. he] om. J, P.
1504. &] om. H,
BK. IV]
The Story of Alexander of Epirus
515
And in the temple of lubiter the grete,
Bi dyuynours that wer expert & old,
Seruyng this god withynne the lond of Creete,
This was the ansuere which thei haue hym told, i
And it affermyd bi toknis manyfold.
How that he nat sholde eschewe \>e dreedful date
Ouer the day assigned to his last fate.
And thei also assigned[e] a place,
Therbi to haue knowlechyng mor cleer,
Vnder a cite, longe & large of space,
Callid Pandosia; & for to go mor neer,
Bi Acheronte, a famous gret ryueer;
Told hym pleynli, & koude no ferther seie,
Of necessite ther he muste [nedis] deie.
And thouh it wer an emest & no iape,
Of God ordeyned nat to be set a-side,
He thouhte of wisdam his destyne tescape
And othirwise for hymsilfF prouide.
Cast in Grece no lenger to abide,
Wenyng this ryuer nor that fair cite,
Sauf in Grece sholde nowher ellis be.
And for to sette hymsilfF in assuraunce
Of entent teschewe his destyne,
In-to thre batailes departyng his puissaunce,
Cam to Itaille tofor Luk the cite.
Thei with helpe of Sammoys the contre,
With a gret poweer cam out anon riht,
Slouh al his knihtis & put hym vnto fliht.
At the bak thei pursued hym so neer, [p.
That his enmyes almost wer on hym fall,
Vn-tabregge, broke with the ryuer.
And ouertumid with his plankis all.
And Acheronte men that ryuer call.
As was told hym bi a certeyn kniht
Which rood beforn hym, the r>'uer in his siht,
he inquired his
fate of diviner*,
who said that
he should
;i6
, „.^ die near a city
1520 called Pandosia,
on the Acheron.
1524
He thought to
escape his
1-28 '^"tiny by
•^ leaving Greece,
where there
was such a
town and
1532
Later on he
was defeated
by the Luccans,
and his knights
1536 slain; and.
1540
^-_ 1 1 closely pursued
227 J by his
enemies, he
came to a
broken bridge
over a river;
1544
15 16. the] his H.
1518. nat sholde] shuld not R 3, H 3.
1522. large & long H.
1526. ther] t»at H — nedis] om. H 5.
1539. out] om. H.
1542. wer almost H.
' In B, upper corner of leaf, later band:
and yett contentt | k k t."
' my Fate butt mene |
5i6
and when a
certain knight
told him that
the river was
the Acheron,
and the
town on its
bank
Pandosia,
he remembered
the divinal
of the priests
and trembled
in every joint
for fear.
He did not
know which
way to turn,
with his foes
close behind
him, and the
river before him.
and finally
choosing the
river as the
lesser evil.
he was about
to throw
himself into its
waters, when
his most
trusted man
plunged a great
spear into his
back and
killed him.
The Luccans
cut his body
into pieces, and
afterwards an
old lady begged
that
The Death of Alexander of Epirus [bk. iv
For bi a reyn that fill that same niht, 1548
The ryuer wex[e] to a dreedful flood,
And nat fer then[ne]s, in the kyngis siht,
Vpon the water a litil toun ther stood,
Which made the kyng chauwge face & blood; 1552
And specialli his pride gan attame,
Whan he wiste Pandosia was the name.
And thanne he gan most dreedfulli remewbre,
Callyng to mynde the preestis dyuynaille, 1556
Which made hym quake in eueri ioynt & membre
For verray feer[e], & his breth to faille.
No man koude hym wisse* nor couwsaille,
On eueri parti he stood so on the wrak: 1560
The flood toforn hym, his enmyes at his* bak.
To take the ryuer he stood in mortal dreed;
And yif that he his enmyes dede abide,
He wiste weel that he was but ded, 1564
Passage was non for to turne aside.
Thus desolat he stood withoute guide,
Thouhte it bett to iuparte the ryuer
Than with enmyes that folwed hym so neer. 1568
Thre mortal dreedis his herte gan constreyne;
Dreed of the flood [e] for to ha[ue] passage,
Behynde his enmyes, that gan at hym disdeyne.
List he wer slay[e]n in that mortal rage: 1572
His fate approchyng, he but yong of age.
The town Pandosia the toknys ded expresse,
With Acheronte that bar therof witnesse.
And whan that he putte in auenture 1576
To passe the flood or ellis to be ded.
Whom he most truste of any creature,
Took a gret spere, squar & sharp the hed,
And at his bak, he quakyng in his dreed, 1580
Traitourli thoruhout[e] plate & maile
Perced his herte; the blood abrod ga« raile.
And as it is also of hym remembred.
The Lucaynois be vengable violence, 1584
Thei han his careyn on pecis al dismembred, —
1551. water] Riveer H. ISS9- hym wisse] wissh hym B,
wisse hym H, R 3. 1561. 2nd his] the B — at his] atte J.
1568. with] vihh his H. 1569. dreedis] Deedis H.
1578. trustid H. 1581. Trayterously P.
1582. the blood abrod] about ^e bloode H, R 3.
BK. IV]
Alexander the Great and Darius
517
Til an old ladi beyng in presence
Requered them of humble pacience,
That she of grace gadre myhte anon
His membris alle & ioyne hem into oon,
AflFtir to sende hem onto his suster deere,
Olympiades, the statli grete queen;
That of affeccioun & loue most enteere.
Whan it befill that she dede hem seen,
Sholde of nature, as it mut needis been,
Weepe, & prouide in his estat roiall
To burie the bodi with feeste funerall.
Seeth heer exaumple of this proude kyng
Which wolde ha scaped his fatal destyne;
Chaung of placis auailed hym nothyng:
Parodie of pryncis may nat chaunged be,
The terme sette, fro which thei may nat flee.
For whan heuene of deth hath set a date.
No mortal man eschewe may* his fate.
1588
1592
she might
scad what
remained of
him to his dear
sister
O'ympias
for burial.
1596
Thus this
proud king
thought to
avoid his
destiny; but
change of places
1600 availed him
nothing, for no
man can escape
his fate.
1604
[How Daiye kjrng of Perce and Mede was outraied
by Alisaundre kyng of Macedoyne.] ^
ON Alisaundre callid Epirothes
Me list as now no lenger for to tarye,
Slayn at myscheef, for he was rek[e]les,
Double of corage, koude chaunge & varie.
For turne I will my penne to kyng Darie, 1608
Which that whilom, who-so Hst take heede.
Most myhti regned in Perse & Mede.
And among other notable werreiours,
Lik as I deeme, bi heuenli influence,
Onli be title of his predecessours
And thoruh his prudent roial excellence,
To gret encres of his magnificence
He had al Asie, as maad is mencioun,
Vnder his lordshepe & domynacioun.
And as myn aucto^^r Bochas doth diffyne.
He was descendid fro the imperial blood
Of Artaxerses, & bom eek of that lyne.
1589. into] in till H. 1595. his] hir H, R 3.
1603. may eschewe B, J, P. 1604. On] In H, R 3, J,
1608. to] vn to H, R 3. 1618. Bochas] om. H.
^ MS. J. leaf 92 verso.
King Darius III
had all Asia
under his
16 1 2 •or«l»'iip.
1616
and, as Bochas
says, was super-
latively rich
and descended
from the
1620 imperial line
of Artaierxes.
5l8 Alexander the Great and Darius [^bk. iv
Passed al princis of tresour & of good;
In Perse & Mede his gret empire stood.
An hundred prouynces, tencrece his* puissau«ce,
And seuene & thretti he hadde in gouernauwce. 1624
"v^er^fel^rand 0\xev al Asic towar[d] the orient [p. 228]
Ind^eimed ^'^ lordshipc laste, bookis make mywde,
of'"au" '°'^'* ^^^ ^^^ hadde toward thoxident,
earthly wealth. Ouer Egipt poweer, as I fynde, 1628
The Rede Se was nat left behywde,
Deemyng hymsilfF, of al erthli treso[u]r,
Was non but he lord nor gou^rnour.
Mtende'd'ovM Toward SeptemptHon, vnder the mydday speer^f 1632
ind Araenil'^ ^'^ poweer rauhte & his regalie,
and worldly Ouer Ynde, in cronicles ye may lere,
folk thought . , , , 1- r A
him the equal And to the Doundis or gret Armenye;
Lord of the kyngdam that callid is Parthie. 1636
Worldli folk dempte hym wzt^ God egall,
Maister to Fortune, & she nat but his thrall.
weal/rand '''" ^^^ in his hiest exaltacioun
Fortune°'assaiied ^^ ^^'^^^^^ gloric, he coude nat preuaille; 1640
him through For al his richesse & veyn ambicioun,
Alexander the _, _, , . •' .
Great, Dut Jt* ortune durste hym weel assaille.
In his most riche roial apparaille,
Cast in hir chaungis to yiue hym a sharp showr 1644
Bi Alisauwdre, of Grece enheritour.
h°m down from Vnto purpos I will my penne dresse
his throne. por to declare & make menciouw,
How proud[e] Darie in his most noblesse 1648
Was bi Fortune from his see cast douw.
For anon aftir the coronacioun
Of Alisauwdre in Macedoyne kyng,
This was the processe anon of his werkyng: 1652
no'dek " bJTt'^* He nat delaied nor maad no longe date,
set out at once J^ purpos fulH of ire to procecdc
to conquer r r r ^
Persia and Off Pcrsc & Mede the sceptris to translate,
Al ther richessis to conquere & posseede, 1656
Perpetueli for tabide in deede
Vndir Grekis myhti obeissauwce,
In Macedoyne to haue gou^frnauwce.
1623. hisl of B.
1627. he] om. H, R 3, J, P, H 5. 1631;. Armonye H
1643. riche] om. H. 1655- sceptre H.
Media,
BK. IV]
Alexander the Great and Darius
1672
1676
And as myn auctowr weel reherse kan.
He sette in Grece the myhti strong cite,
Of Corynthe the metropolitan,
Ther testablisshe his imperial see.
In regalibus whan he list crowned bee,
As man whom God list of his myht to marke
The world to conquere, & be therof monarke.
At the gynnyng of his conquest famous,
Throuhout Grece in euery regeoun
First he ches out of his fadres hous
Knihtis that wem most souereyn of renoun.
Notable in armys, & of condicioun
Feithful, trewe, which had of hih prudence
Forsiht in armys of marcial prouidence.
To them he dede ful notabli assigne.
As men expert in knihtli apparailles.
To make his stuff with many riche signe,
And forge of steel his plate & his mailles.
GaiF hem the reule to goueme his* batailles;
For prouidence, of yore it hath be told,
Ful myche auaileth of kniht^j wis & old.
Al this acomplisshed, he list no lenger tarie.
This worthi kyng, but with his ordenaunce
Purposed to begynne on kyng Dane.
And, as it is put in remembraunce,
In most proud wise he gan hymsilfF auaunce,
First in his weie to brenne & bete doun
Of hasti ire Thebes the myhti toun.
Aftir, he gat too mihti regeouns,
The ton of Frige, the tothir callid Lide, —
Set bi old tyme wer ther fundaciouns
Vpon too ryuers rennyng ther beside, 1691
Whos goldene grauell ther brihtnesse may nat hide.
Paceolus & Eryne men them call,
Richest off stremys, thouh men rekne hem all.
S19
Corinth
1664
and chcxDsing
cut the most
1668 '■'oo'^^'^ 3°"^
loyal knights of
Greece,
gave them full
charge of his
military
preparations.
1680
1684
When all was
ready, he set
out against
Darius, destroy-
ing Tliebcs on
hi* way
■rAOQ antJ conquering
^^^ Phrygia and
Lydia.
1667. Atte htgynnyng H.
1675. apparaile H.
1676. many a H.
1677. of] ^ H — maile H.
1678. his] the B — bataile H.
1683. kjTig] om. H, R 3.
1692. grauelis J, grauels P — may] myht H.
1693. Pactolus P.
520
Alexander the Great and Darius
[byl. IV
n/nTis'lirr'ia and -^"^^ ^f hIs conqucst ferthcr to termyne,
Pamphiiia, fjg y^^LVi IsauFca, a prouynce wonder strong, 1696
In Asia oon cheuest off the nyne.
And Pamphile, a kyngdam large and long,
He gat also, wher it wer riht or wrong.
For wher that conquest haue any title of riht, 1700
It passeth my resouw, my kunnyng & my myht.
I took no parti nor me list nat tarie
In this mateer, but for[th] I wil proceede.
How Alisaundre hastid toward Darie 1704
Tacheue his conquest of Perse & eek of Mede.
But first he cam to Frigia, I reede,
Into a* cite, the name to specefie,
Thilke dales it callid was Gordie. 1708
he hastened to
Persia.
Arriving at
Gordium in
Phrygia, he
found a rich
cart bound
with ropes in
the temple of
Jupiter;
[p. 229]
Aftir myn auctowr afFerme weel I dar,
Ther was a temple in Frigia, thus seith he,
Of lubiter, in which ther stood a chaar
With ropis bouwde, of stonis & perre;*
Among[es] which men myhte behold & see
A fatal knotte, be crafF[t] maad so sotile.
That no maw koude ondon it be no wile.
Mid thrt" For who that hadde science or kunnyng
whoever could Xhat corious knotte to losne or vntwyne,
untie the knot ..i 1111 -ii
should be Ouer Asie he sholde be crownid kyng.
over Asia. And AHsaundre, as bookis determyne,
Seyng this char knet with many [a] lyne,
And how it sempte a maner impossible
To seueren it, which was indyuysible, —
thartife"cor*d" ^hc chaar with coordis was so enterlacid,
j^ere so inter- That ticheli stood in louys tabernacle,
man could Which be his wit koude nat be vnbracid,
loosen them, so-K-riirr 1 1
he pulled out Nother be crattt nor no soleyn myracie:
his sword ^jj Alisauwdre, bi a dyuyn oracle,
Drouh out his suerd, wherof men hadde wonder, 1728
Carf the knotte & cordis alle assonder,
throrh*'lind°°^Wherbi he wiste that he was ordeyned
rode forth on Quer al Asic to be lord & kyng.
Which to reioisshe (this stori is nat feyned) 1732
1712
171^
1720
1724
1698. Pamphiiia P. 1699. wer] was H. 1705. tocheveH.
1707. In ta B, J, R 3. 1708. callid] namyd H.
1712. of perre B. 1720. a] owi. J, H S, P.
1729. Carf] korve H. 1730. he] thei H, H 5, R 3.
BK. iv] Alexander the Great and Darius. Gordius
521
He rood lik Mars his batailes conueyeng,
Thoruh Perse & Mede his standardis displaieng,
Toward his conquest, wher I leue hym duelle,
And of this chaar & knott^j I wil telle. 1736
Prudent lustinus, an olde cronicleer.
In his cronicles reherseth this storye:
How [oon] Gordius, a poore laborer,
Beside the cite that callid is Gordie,
Eryng his lond dede his oxis guie,
Al maner foul that hath weengis fliht
Hih in the hair apperede in his siht.
Vnknowe to hym the tokne what it mente.
With dyuynour[e]s cast hym to counsaile,
Callid augures, which hooli ther entente,
Knowyng the processe of such dyuynaille,
Wher it shal proffite or disauaille.
And at the gate of Gordie the cite
He mette a maide excellyng of beute.
Which from aboue, bi heuenli influence,
Hadde of hir birthe a maner know[le]chyng,
In such augurie gret practik and science, —
Which to Gordius expowned eueri thyng,
Saide of Asia he sholde be lord & kyng,
And regne ther duryng al his lyfF.
In hope wherof she becam his wyfF.
Aftir his weddyng he wex fortunat.
The cronicle can ber me weel record :
Ther fill in Frige a sodeyn gret debat
Among the comouns & a mortal discord,
Knowyng no mene to brynge hem at accord.
Til ther goddis bi notable prouidence
Tauht hem a weie tappese ther violence,
How that debat sholde among hem laste
Vnto the tyme thei hadde chose a kyng.
And thei gan crie & preye ther goddis faste,
Bi sum signe or myracle out shewyng,
To yiue to them a maner knowlechyng.
That thei myhte, to ther notable encres,
Chese such on that sholde hem sette in pes.
Justin tells as
that Gordius, a
poor agricul-
turist, once taw
all manner of
birds flying
1740 high in the air.
J--- As he did not
' ^^ know what the
token meant,
he went to
Gordium to
consult the
augurs, and met
T^^fi at the city gate
1740 a beautiful
girl, who
had fore-
knowledge of
events, and told
him that he
was to be
lord of aU
1752 Asia, and,
hoping to
become queen,
married nim.
1756
After the
wedding a
dispute arose in
Phrygia, and
1760 the people were
told that it
would continue
until they had
chosen a king;
and it was
shewn to them
1764 ^^ miracle
1768
1733. bataile H.
1738. this] his H.
1758. his] this H.
1739.
1769.
oon] om. J.
to] om. H.
1746. ther] {)e H.
522
Alexander the Great and Darius. Gordius [^bk. iv
that they must
crown a man
whom they
(hould meet
riding in a cart
to the temple
of Jupiter.
This man was
Gordius, who
after he became
king ruled
wisely and set
his people in
peace.
He suggested
that the cart
be given as
an offering to
Jupiter;
and to make
it the more
auspicious,
it was placed
in the temple
before the
goddess Grace.
Thei hadde answere, tawaite & be weel war, 1772
To sette espies bi besi attendaunce,
On whom thei mette ridyng in a chaar
To louis temple to doon his obseruauwce,
And hym resceyue, bi goddis ordenauwce, 1776
Vpon his hed, withoute mor tariyng,
To sette a crowne in Frige to regne as kyng.
And Gordius in his chaar ridyng
Toward J)e temple, thei on the weye hyw mette; 1780
And awaityng ches hym to ther kyng,
And solempneli hom thei dede hym fette;
Vpon his hed a riche crowne thei sette.
And he to them so egal was & meete, 1784
That [he] hem brouhte in teste & in quiete.
Thus to the crowne Gordius dede atteyne.
Be toknis shewed onto his gret auaill.
And ther discordes & stryues to restreyne, 1788
He to his lieges gaff notabli couwsaill.
That thei sholde with roial apparaill
[Go] take his char, as he dede hem deuise.
And offre it up in most lowli wise 1792
In the temple, that was consecrat [p. 230]
To lubiter, a ful solempne place.
And mor to make ther offrywg fortunat,
Thei sholde it sette, withoute lenger space,* 1796
Tofor the goddesse that was caUid Grace,
Which bi myracles ther hertis to appese.
Sett al the peeple in quieet & in ese.
And whan the kyng Alisauwdre hadde
After Alexander
had cut the
knot and seen Loosnid the knotte, of which I haue you told,
all the mysteries .,^, . rii-i/^ j* ijj
of Gordius' cart, And oi the chaar[e] which Gordms ladde.
The secrees seyn & mysteries manyfold.
1800
presumptuous
and robbed
Gordium and
all Phrygia up
to Mt. Taurus,
which is also
called
Caucasus.
Worldli presumpcioun gan make his herte bold, 1804
Withoute title of any rihtwisnesse,
The cite Gordie to spoille of his richesse.
And al Frigie he robbed eek also
Vp to the mountayn that callid was Taurus. 1808
The which[e] hill hath famous names too;
For it is also named Caucasus,
1778. to regne in Frige H.
1791. his] this H. 1796. space] date B.
BK. IV]]
AUxander the Great and Darius
523
Wher this prynce most victorious
Ordeyned first proudli with spere & sheeld 1812
Ageyn kyng Dane for to holde a feeld.
Vpon a mounteyn thei togidre mette;
The marcial pleyn [was] named Horestes,
And most proudli ther wardis ther thei sette 1816
Al for the werre & nothyng for the pes.
Wher Alisandre, in knihthod pereles,
Al the Persiens batailed in his siht
On Danes partie put vnto [the] fliht. 18*0
Kyng Alisaundre, shortli to conclude,
In his most statli roial magnificence,
Set nat his trust in no gret multitude.
But in his knihtis, which longe in his presence 1824
Hadde had in armis longe experience,
Wer weel preued in marcial disciplyne
Tenhaunce his conquest bi ther prudent doctrine.
Which in that ioume han hem so weel born, 1828
That in ther noblesse founde was no lak:
For sexti thousand of footmen hem befom
Thei slouh of Perse, & men on hors[e]bak
Other ten thousand, so mortal was the wrak; 1832
And fourti thousand, as maad is mencioun,
Wer prisoneres [take] & put to ther raunsoun.
On Grekis parti, the stori doth weel shewe,
Macedonoys on Alisandris side, 1836
In comparisoun wer slay[e]n but a fewe;
For of footmen & men that dede ride,
Thoruh the feeldis, that wer so large & wide,
Ther wer that day in al ther mortal stryues 1840
Nat ful thre hundred which that lost ther lyues.
Darie koude non other rescus make,
Fledde at myscheefF in ful gret distresse.
His wifF, his douhtre lad awei & take^ 1844
His tentis spoilled; his stori berth witnesse.
Grekis made glad with ful gret richesse.
His cofFres spoilled, he fond no bet socowr.
And he enporisshed of al his hool tresour. 1848
1812. proudli] om. H.
1815. was] om. J^ P — named] namy H — Horestes] Adrasties
P.
1816. wardis] werk^j H. 1820. Daryus H.
1824. his] om. H.
And there he
fought Darius
on the Plain of
Orestes and put
him to flight.
Alexander
trusted in
warlike
efficiency rather
than in
numbers,
and his knights
slew and
captured
thousands of
Persians.
Less than three
hundred Greeks
were slain.
Darius fled in
distress, his
wife and
daughter taken
captive, his
tents despoiled
of ail his
treasure.
524
Alexander the Great and Darius
[bK. IV
Taking refuge
in Babylon, he
knew not what
to do.
Whan Dane sauh his dedli auenture,
Ful pitousli in herte he dede mourne,
And anon aftir this disconfiture
To Babilon in haste he gan retowrne,
And whil that he dede ther soiowrne,
Knowyng no recure to hyw that myhte auayle
With AUsaundre to holde mor bataile.
Than of purpos to sette hymsilf in ese
And for talegge his dedli fel greuauwce,
In his entent kyng Alisauwdre to plese,
Cast for to sende hym lettres of plesauwce,
Yiue hym giftes in ful gret habundauwce.
But al the sleihtis which Darius hath wrouht,
Kyng Alisauwdre set hem echon at nouht.
his°con^qufs!° This manli kyng kept his conceit cloos,
Alexander visitedLigt nat shewe what he ment in deede,
the temple of _ _ ... ^ . . . '
and sent
letters and
rich gifts as a
peace offering
to Alexander,
upon whom
they had no
effect.
Jupiter
Libya,
But caste fulli aftir his purpos
Vpon his conquest ferther to proceede.
Aftir the getyng of Perse & eek of Mede
To Wynne Surrie, Egipt & Libie-lond,
Deemyng Fortune reedi to his hond.
wat dlfcended^ And of his conquest ferther to endite,
from the god. Whan his glorie gan most fresshli shyne.
The temple of lubiter cast hym to vesite,
Which stood in Libie, auctOMrs determyne.
Saide how he was descendid fro the lyne
Of thilke god, bor[e]n to been his hair,
As lord of heuene, fir, water, erthe & hair.
And that the preestis fulli sholde assente
With heuenli goddis to maken hym egall,
Gret richesse & tresour he hem sente:
Thus dreed and mede made hym celestiall.
Falsli forgete* that he was mortall,
And of ambiciouw, be marcial apparaille,
Cast with Darie ageyn to ha[ue] bataille.
1857. talegge] tabrige H, ta legge J, talegge H 5, R 3,
taledge P.
1868. Siria P — lyby & Eglpt londe H.
1869. of Fortune H.
1876. fir water] watir fyer H — &] om. J, H, R 3, H 5, P.
1881. forgat B, J, R 3.
1882. marcial] mortall H.
and bribed the
priests to
deify him,
forgetting that
he was but a
mortal man.
[P-
1852
1856
i860
1864
1868
1872
1876
231]
1880
BK. IV]
Alexander the Great and Darius
525
And, as I fynde, how thei dede mete, 1884
The[s] too ptyncis wit^ peeple innumerable
In the confrount of the lond of Crete;
And kyng Darye of folkes defFensable
Brouht into feeld a peeple incomparable, 1888
Foure hundred thousand of fotmen fet fro ferr^,
With Alisaundre that day* to holde werr<f.
An hundred thousand ther cam with hym also,
On hors[e]bak in steel[e] armyd briht.
And alle this peeple, whan thei hadde ado,
Al-be that day ful longe laste the fiht,
Wer slayn & take & Iput to fliht.
Wher Alisaundre to his encres of glorie
Hadde of kyng Darie that day the victorie.
And Persiens to ther fynal myscheefF,
Withoute merci or payeng of raunsoun.
With kyng Darie wer put to gret repreeff,
Void of al hope & consolacioun,
Fledde, as I fynde, into the regeoun
Callid Partie, wher, as it is told.
He of that peeple was take & put in hold. 1904
And thouh his feteres wem of gold maad riche.
He hadde therof, God wot, no plesaunce.
Fortunys gifFtis be nat ay iliche.
In hir fals wheel ther is such variaunce. 1908
Dyuers of cheer, straunge of hir contenaunce.
Made Alisaundre with a litil noumbre
The multitude of Darie to encoumbre.
In the mean-
time Darius
ccJIected a great
army and met
Alexander on
the boundaries
of Crete,
but again
Alexander
1802 *** ^ctorious.
1896
The Persians
fled Into
Parthia, where
Darius was
1900 captured
and fettered
with gold.
W^ithyne a toun [called] Tharsa he was take.
In [a] chariet, with cheynis stronge bounde.
Of al his freendis pitousli forsake.
Lad & thoruh percid wit^ many mortal wounde.
And this moordre contryued was and founde 1916
Bi oon Bessus, a froward rekles knyht.
Which stood afFom most forthred in his siht,
_. . Forsaken by
191 2 his friends, he
was murdered
by a froward
knight called
Bessus,
1888. ])e felde H.
1890. that day] for B, J, P.
1893. this] his H.
1903. Parthye H.
1910. Alisaundre] of Alisaundre H.
1912, called] om. H, J, R 3, H 5 — Tharsa] Tanca P.
1913. a] om. J, P — I boufide J, ybounde P. 1915. many a H.
5^6 Alexander the Great and Darius [bk. iv
bXdtohTm°And was assured be feith of his legiaunce
died,''Darfu!"' To kyng Dane to be trewe in deede. 1920
kni\^°to''^ But this fals traitour (God sende hym a myschaunce !)
Alexander, Caused his wouwdis mortalH to bleede.
him to have Yit OF he deied he sente in al his dreede
wi'fe'^anT '* A Pcrcien kniht, sad & off gret age, 1924
children, Jq AHsauwdre to telle hym his massage:
"Go thanke that prince of his hih noblesse,
Which of* his grace & merci most habouwde,
Hym list to shewe so gret gentilesse igaS
Vnto my wifF & childre, as it is founde.
For which to hym I am so moche bouwde,
That he myn enmy, of his benignite.
In ther distresse list haue of them pite. 1933
condescend to And sithe I sec that needis I mut deie
as^ k'bg''""^^ Thoruh bloodi wouwdis, which I may nat recure,
Sei Alisauwdre, of grace that I preie,
For to ha[ue] routhe on* myn auenture, 1936
Next to ordeyne for my sepulture,
And condescende to graunte myw axyng.
For to be buried as longeth to* a kyng.
Praiyng the goddis which been inmortall, 1940
Whan he hath do to quiten hym his meede,
That of his merci most imperiall
Hym list of grace for to taken heede,
To burie me, kyng of Perse & Mede; 1944
For yif this fauowr be in his herte founde.
To his noblesse the fame shal ay rebounde.
his'^foui mJrX. Requeryng hym of his imperial myht
Of myn foul moordre to seen ech circuwstaunce; 1948
For moordre alway calleth to God of riht,
Neuer cesyng, but hi contynuaunce,
Vp to the heuene to crie for vengauwce, —
Namli on moordre compassed & forthouht, 1952
Which bi auisement is execut & wrouht.
'^iven thiJ'*'^ And sithe I haue leid on the this bond,
message to^the Xq Alisauwdre to do my massage,
' And hym coniured heer with my riht bond 1956
Tauenge my deth, wrouht bi gret outrage,
1921. sende] sent H. 1927. of] to B.
1936. on] of B. 1939. to] onto B. 1940. Immortall H.
1952. Namli] Namely whan H.
BK. IV]
An Envoy on King Darius
527
My blood out shad, vfith pale & ded visage,
Heer bounde in stokkis, to goddis most benigne
With riht hool herte my spent I resigne." i960
Thus he lay stark, [for] ther was lefft no blood,[p.232] tui<^'S^'^"
Lik as a-nother mortal creature.
Whan Alisaundre the moordre vndirstood,
As ye han herd remembrid be scripture, 1964
He dede ordeyne for his sepulture
The funeral feeste holde in al[le] thynges
As bi old tyme longed onto kynges.
with kingly
honours.
fl Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie pitous for to heere 1968
Sheweth of Fortune l>e chaunges lamentable,
Of roial tronis of gold & stonis cleere,
In worldli princis how thei be euer vnstable.
Hir* fatal wheel most dyuers & chaungable, 1973
With vnwar turn list nat hir cours to tarie
To throwe hem doun; record upon kyng Darie.
Who can or may be ful assured heere
To make Fortune to be so tretable, 1976
To fynde a weie or serche out the maneere
Bi obligacioun to fynde hir vnmutable ?
Hir double face, the world ay deceyuable,
Shewe us ech day how falsli thei can varie 1980
Bi couert fraude; record upon kyng Darie.
Exaumple how Phebus vvith his bemys cleer
Sheweth sum mon\-e his liht most agreable.
But longe or eue dirknesse ther doth appeere 1984 f
Thoruh cloudi reynes & mystes long durable.
To us declaryng be toknes ful notable,
Worldli dignites, now fressh & now contrarie.
Can chaunge ther tides; record [up]on kyng Darie.1988
ITioruh all Asie, Perse, & Mede ifeere
His lordshipe last, a thjmg incomparable.
To Ethiope vnder the mydday speere,
Ful of tresour with gold innumerable, 1992
His boundis rauhte; Fortune eek seruisable
1970. tronis] throwis H.
1972- Hir] Ther B, J, R 3, H, H 5, Their P.
1975. heere] ay heer H.
1988. Can chaunge ther tides] By covert fraude H.
1992. tresour] all tresour H.
This piteoat
tragedy shews
the lamentable
changes of
Fortuna and
the instability
of worldly
princes.
No one on earth
can be certain
of Fortuna.
Like Phoebus,
who often
shews his clear
beams in the
morning and
clouded
before night,
so are the
dignities of
this world now
flourishing and
now contrary.
Danus ruled
all Asia, his
possessions
were without
number, until
Fortune proved
her might on
him.
5^8 The Misery and Ruin of War |^bk. iv
Tobeie his lustis, til she gan falsH varie,
Bi expert fraude to preue hir myht in Darie.
though you"u Noble Princis, with hool hert & enteer 1996
^enimberXt' LcfFt up youv coFagcs, holdcth this no fable:
on iarth'is Thouh ye sit hih, conceyueth with good cheer
lasting. No worldli lordshipe in erthe is perdurable;
And sithe ye been of nature resonable, 2000
Among remewbreth, as thyng most necessarie,
Al stant on chauwg; record upon kyng Darie.
[Here Bochas remembreth the batailes and losse of
Rewmys of antiquj^e/ wit/i the fallyng of diuers
nobles.] ^
femfnds'lff of IIJEER gynncth Bochaj remewbre in certeyn
's^rrowtthe loss ^-^ ^^^ 8^^*^ sotwcs, the mortal disauailes, 2004
°h Ti'"d ^"'^ '^^^ losse of reumys, l)e blood eek shad in vey«,
vainly shed in Bcgunwc of wetHs & marcial apparailles.
Ia"s of"the ^ Cald to mynde of olde the fell batailles
Trofans.^" Gunwe of antiquitc, as maad is menciouw, 2008
First atween Greekis & them of Troie tou«.
i'c^mpassrnate A pitous hertc it woldc make bleede
t"hlve'"ii in '^^ haue in memoire the dreedful gret outrage,
memory. As ye hau herd[e], wrouht in Perse and Mede 2012
Atween Darie and Alisaundre in ther age.
Eek atween Romeyns & them of Cartage
The woful troublis of werris first begunne,
Cause al the myscheuys that been vnder sonwe. 2016
^e"n^brOTghtYo^ ^" outhet parti, who can remembre ariht,
niin and laid Now losse, now lucte komth of dyuisiouw,
desolate by ' -^ '
dissension, JNow disencres, now heuy & now iiht,
Now lyfF, now deth, for short conclusions; 2020
For Bochas seith, such fals discencioun
Hath many kyngdam, that stood in good estat,
Turnid to ruyne & maad them desolat.
iTtrong'^cit'/"'^ Remembre of Troye the wallis broke douw, 2024
in Greece and Jn Grcce destroicd many strong cite,
Persia, Rome tt-» otv/ti ii'
and Carthage In Petse & Mcde grct desolaciouw,
destroyed by -r-, •■• • i r • i
the cruel rage Romc disputucied ot marcial surete,
of Mars. Castellis, tours of old antiquite 2028
2001. necessarie] transitory H.
2004,6,7. disavaile, apparaile, batailis H. 2011. memorye H.
2015. troublis] trouble H.
2017. ariht] riht H. 2024. of] on H.
* MS. J. leaf 94 verso.
BK. IV]
The Misery and Ruin of War
529
Maad ruynous in AiFrik & Cartage,
Caused be werris & Martis cruel rage.
Who list considren, wrouht bi daies olde
The cours of conquest of thes werreiottrs, 2032
In Alisaundre he cleerli may beholde
Bi remembraunce of his progenitowrs
And of his blood, how al the successours
Hadde fatalli, or thei dede hen[ne]s wende, 2036
A sodeyn deth or a shamful eende.
Ful many reknid that wer of hys lynage
For to succeede in his pocessiovns.
To sexe & thretti partyng his heritage,
To ech assigned ther roial porciouns.
[And] first, as he made his dyuisiouns.
He gaf of Frige the prefecture off riht
To Leonatus, that was so good a kniht. 2044
But litil* while last his pocessioun; [p. 233] hh ^^
For the centres list hym nat obeie.
Thei of Athenys hadde indignacioun
With Antipater, for he dede hem werreye; 2048
Yit in that werre, pleynli for to seie,
Leostenes ther duk, ther gouernour
Was slayn that day; he fond no bet socour.
Think of
Alexander,
his progenitors
and his
successors, how
all came to a
sudden or
shameful death.
His estate was
divided
amongst
thirty-sii heirs.
2040 Phrj-gia fell to
the share of
Leonnatus,
but he soon lost
lOm,
And Leonatus, that was his aduersarie,
Of Antipater the parti to susteene,
Fond Fortune that day to hym contrarie;
For in the feeld thouh he rod armed cleene.
With a sharp spere his wound was maad[e] greene, 2056
At myscheef slayn, myn auctour doth compile.
Thus his lordship last nat but a while.
*^S^ fighting against
the Athenians.
Antipater, another successour
Of Alisaundre, as maad is mencioun.
Was be record the* same fals traitour
That for his deth[e] tempted the poisoun.
His sone Cassander acomplisshed the tresoun,
Bar the cuppe which that made hym sterue, 2064
With that strong venym whan he dede hym serue.
Antipater,
another heir,
2060 ""^^ *^' traitor
who mixed the
poison for
Alexander.
2032. thes3 te H.
2037. orj or els H, or ellys H 5.
2042. And] om. J.
2045. litil] a litil B, J, P. 2061.
2038. wer] was H.
the] of the B, J.
530 57?^ Story of the Heirs of Alexander []bk. iv
"ay'^afi who° AntlpatcF, of this cFym coupable,
Scious of Gretli desired in his oppenioun
his treason. Vpon al tho [for] to be vengable, 2068
That likli wern tespien his tresoun.
Drad hym sore, hauyng suspeciouw
List he wer accusid to the statis
Of crym callid Illese magestatis. 2072
?rese^t°ed the ^is sone assentid to that horrible deede,
Alexander *and Which to AHsauwdre, beyng in Babilouw,
yet Alexander Most traitourfi, withoute shame or dreede,
had made him . 111 -it
prefect of As ye ban herd, presentid the poisouw. 2076
And yit the kyng, as maad is mencioun,
Thouh he to hym fals was & contrarie,
He made hym prefect, lord of the lond of Carie.
S;V^ nTa'bie And among other notable werreiot^rs, 2080
rhe'leirsf'"""^ ^hcr wcr thre mo, ful worthi & famous,
some slew one Set in the nouwbre of his enheritours,
another in _. ,. o tvt i •
battle; Foiicarpus & JNeptolonms.
And ech of them to other envious, 2084
Withynwe a feeld, the stori doth us lere,
Euerich slouh other as thei mette ifeere.
perhip"^' Of Perdicas* what sholde I write or seyn ? —
of\ii"wa''s"'^^'^ Which amonge alle was oon the beste kniht, 2088
gi ven Macedonia Xh at whan AHsauwdte lay deieng in certeyn,
when Alexander ., , rii ri*r oi
lay dying; And gan to teebie or his lorce & myht,
Dempte afForn that it sat weel of riht,
How this Perdicas, for wisdam & manheede, 2092
In Macedoyne sholde aftir hym succede.
And onto hym with cheer & look benigne,
Vpon his bed for seeknesse compleynyng.
With ful hool herte for a notable signe, 2096
Of successiouM he gafF to hym a ryng,
AfFtir his day to be crowned kyng
Of Macedoyne, sithe he myhte most* auaile,
Thoruh al his empire to haue the gouernaile. 2100
he'^surpateW And yit seith Bochas breeffli in sentence,
his comrades Thouh he of knihthod & [of] hih prowesse,
in prudence ri
and strength, Qf manli force & also of prudence
vicious pride so _^ i i i i • i i •
turned his head, Passed al Other, the ston berth witnesse, 2104
2068. for to] that J.
2080. notable] nat al H. 2087. Predicas B.
2099. most myhte B.
2102. 2nd of] om. P.
BK. iv] Tbg Story of the Heirs of Alexander 53 1
Bi vicious pride & froward boistousnesse
He was mor hyudred, thoruh his owne outrage,
Than al his enmyes myhte doon to hym damage.
For thoruh his pride & gret extorsiouns, 2108 ^'drore »u
Fro Macedoyne the peeple of that contre ^r^^ugh
Fledde into other straunge regeouns. hi» extortion*.
And of presumpcioun, the stori seith, how he sumptuoady
T> 1 nrL 1 beginning a war
rJegan a werre ageyn k>Tig Iholome, 2112 again«
Wher he was slayn in alle mennys sihtis, d^"^y'w"
Nat of his enmyes but of his owne knihtis. °^ knights.
Eek Anaxarchus of Capadoce kyng, df^^^^
Which provynce ioyneth to Surrie, 2116
Touchyng the boundis, be record of writyng,
Toward thorient the lond of Armenye,
Hauyng too contres, Scilice & Ysaurie
Toward Cipre, & a gret ryueer 3120
Rennyng amyddes with stremes fressh & cleer.
This Anaxarchus, wher he was loth or fayn, l^aHel^'^^'
In daies fewe hath his kyngdam lorn; S^b***
For bi Perdicas* proudli he was slayn, 2124 Perdicca*.
Off whom that I haue you told befom.
Thus worldli princis, thouh thei hadde it sworn,
For al ther lordshipe & domynacioun,
Bi fraude of Fortune vnwarli be put doun. 2128
Amongis othir princis of that age, [p. 234] S^g^^gJ''^'
Vpon Alisaundre duely abidyng, ^L^der**
Bochas reherseth, Amulchar of Cartage, captain*.
Duk of that cite, bi record of writyng, 2132
Aftir the deth[e] of that worthi kyng.
As ye han herd, Imoordred be poisoun.
This saide Amulchar, reparyng to his toun.
Was slayn in Cartage, shortli to conclude, 2136 S'm^^ns^o^f w!
Of cruel malis & conspiracioun "^•
Withyne that cite, of fals ingratitude,
Whan he of knihthod fraunchised had the* toun, —
And natwithstandyng al his hih renoun, 2140
Whan he stood hiest in his felicite.
He bi the comouns was slayn of that cite.
21 10. regeouns]] naciouns H.
2115. Anaxarchus3 of Ariarathes P. 2118. lond] lorde H.
2122. Ariarathes P. 2124. Predicas B.
2126. worldli] worthy H.
2134. be]witi?H. 2139. the^thatB.
532 The Story of Eumenes [bk. iv
[How Eumenides was twies outraied by Antigonus/
and atte last / deied in prisoun.] ^
hifc^mpTe?ef Vl/HAN Alisaundrc in his roial estat 2143
hi%k"med'that ^^ Haddc al conquered, toforn as ye ha[ue] herd,
he was son and He Ilk a god, most DOwpoMj & elat,
heir of Jupiter, . *=" . rii- 1111
As souereyw prince or al this myddelerd,
To take upon hym was nothyng afFerd
To cleyme in contres, a thyng that was nat fair, 2148
Of lubiter to be bothe sone & hair.
and this was
one
of the*chief^^ of the prynciplcs, who-so taketh heede.
idoktr °^ That first brouht in fals ydolatrie,
Was thilke tyme that preestis for fals drede 2152
His name with goddis gan to magnefie,
And so to calle hym of feyned flaterie.
And myd ther temples in Libie on a stage
Of his liknesse thei sette up an image. 2156
iothrng.io?'hl But lite or nouht to hym it mihte auaile
died of poison. Ageyn his deth[e] for to doon socour,
Whan the fell poisoun dede his herte* assaille,
Which made hym fade as doth a somer flour. 2160
Of whos empire was non enheritot^r,
Sauf in his deiyng, thus stood the woful caas,
Tween sexe & thretti his lond deuided was.
deith'he'ky ^nd in his story ful pleynli it is told, 2164
on a couch of f j^jg depattisFilouw, to make it ferme & stable,
gold and named i-iri iru
his successors. He was leid toorth upon a couch or gold,
To reherse be toknis ful notable
Whom he dempte of verray soth most hable 2168
Of al his princis, pleynli to discerne.
Whan he wer ded his kyngdam to gouerne.
them^was*"*""^ First ther was oon amongis al that pres,
Eumenes, and Next AHsandre the knihtliestfe] man, 2172
to him i'i*ii>iT-> 1
Alexander gave The wotthi duc* callid humenydes,
Cappadocia and iyti i m r ^ 11
Paphiagonia. Whos hih tenouw tul weel reherse can
Prudent lustinus, the grete historian.
Ordeyned afForn to gouerne reumys too, 2176
Al Capadoce & Pafflogonie also.
2155. myddes H.
2159. his herte dede B, J, P. 2171. that] \te H.
2173. duc] knyht B, J, knight P — Eumenes P.
1 MS. J. leaf 95 recto.
BK. IV]
Tbr Story of Eununes
533
His hih noblesse, as maad is mencioun.
In especial mor to magnefie,
Hym lakked nouht of comendacioun 2180
That appartened onto cheualrie,
To hih prudence or noble policie.
Except thre thyngis, myn auctowr seij) the same,
A crowne, a sceptre & a kynges name. 2184
But for that he al othir dede excell
Bothe of prudence & famous cheualrie,
It is remembrid, as summe bookis tell,
That ther wer summe [that] hadde therat en vie; 2188
For whan Fortune list to sette up hie
Any persone alofFt upon hir wheel,
Summe ar beside that like it neueradeel.
Who halt hym euer upon hih mounteyns
Fynt gret experience of blastis & of shours,
OfFt is troubled with storm & wyndi reyns;
So of Alisaundre the proude successowrs,
Whan thei sat hiest shynyng in ther floors,
Wynd of envie. Fortune heeld so the rother.
That ech was besi to destroien othir.
On hillis hih it is an inpossible
A man tabide withoute wynd or reyn;
A thyng expert & verra[il]y visible,
Hih clymbyng up is medlid with disdeyn:
Pres hath envie, as it is ofte seyn.
And thoruh preferryng of Fortune in estatis
Is euer caused gret werre & gret debatis.
This same thyng was weel expert & preevid
Among thes saide roial enheritoMrs
Of Alisandre; for ech of hem was greeuid
To seen his felawe regnen in his flours.
And thus atween these myhti successours,
Of fals envie ther gan so gret a striflF,
That ech made other for to lese his lyflF.
And as it is afforn maad mencioun,
Policarpus & Neptolonius
Bi a maner fals conspiracioun
Ageyn Eumenides wer inli envious.
2188. that] owi. J. 2199. hillis] hihtis H.
2201. verraily] verray J, P. 2203. offten H.
2213. R begins again.
2214] Polipercon and Neptolemus P. 2216. Eumenes P.
He was a
knightly man.
aiid until that
time had lacked
only a crown,
a sceptre and
the name of
king.
Since he
excelled ail
men in
chiralry, tome
envied him.
_^-- and a* most
2192 people who Uve
on high
mountains are
exposed to
winds and
storms, so it
was with the
2190 successors of
Alexander: each
did his best to
destroy the
others.
2204
Not one of
them could bear
to see his
fdlow reign in
2208 P«a«-
2212
[P- 235]
Polyperchon and
Neoptolemns
conspired
against
Eumenes, who
slew them both
2216 in battle;
534 '^b^ Story of Eumenes [^bk. iv
Of whos falsnesse he was suspecious,
Til on a day, ther is no mor to seyne,
Meetyng in bataille he slouh hem bothe tweyne.
AntigonusT'^'^ ^^^ which[e] slauhtre proude Antigonus, 2220
Ml«"on* so ^^ Macedoyne prefect & gouernour,
greatly ' Wcx in his hette so fel & despitous —
And was with-al a noble werreiour —
With his knihtis dede hooli his labour 3224
Ageyn Eumenides bi marcial apparaille,
A feeld assigned, to holde a gret bataille.
ouVl'gainst Made upon hym a proud disconfiture
Eumenes and ^g ^hei mctten armed briht in steel, 2228
forced him »iit^ -i r i
to take refuge And thus Eumcnides, or mortal auenture,
Fledde at myscheefF into a strong castel,
Wherof his knihtis liked nothyng weel;
For as the stori pleynli maketh mynde, 2232
That day he fledde & lefFt his men behynde.
Sstitute, an'd'' ^^1 which castel for he stood destitut,
finally fled to Yxo thcns he caste in al haste to flee;
In his gret myscheeff" to fynde sum refut 2236
That tyme he drouh hym in-tastrong contre
Sum socour gete auengid for to be,
Callid Argire bi Greekis of entent.
The Latyn corupt of this woord Argent. 2240
6iil°e"r?and"af«? ^f Archiraspedes, a peeple that ther duelle,
A^'^^ra^s^'tdes Thet name thei took aflFtir that regeouw.
were named, The which[e] lond, as olde bookes telle.
Hath of siluer plente & foisoun; 2244
For which[e] cause, bi old descripciouw,
It took his name of nature & of riht.
Because the soil lik syluer shyneth briht.
prS't^'pTotie. And of this ile, which hath so gret a pris, 2248
who had been ^s myn auctout makcth rehersaile,
of great help t t i 11 • j 0 •
to Alexander. HoW the pceplc be ptOUldent & WIS,
Prudent in armys & manli in bataille,
Bothe to difFende & proudli to assaille. 2252
Which bi ther wisdam & circumspect couwsail
To kyng Alisaundre stood in gret auail,
2217. whos] was R. 2225. bi] wtt^ H — Eumenes P.
2227. upon] on R. 2228. briht armed R.
2230. into a] in ta H. 2232. makith playnly H.
2238. Sum] So R — gete] to get R, to gete H, J, to gett R 3, to
geat P. 2241. Argiraspides P.
BK. IV]
The Death of Eumenes
535
And Eumenides, oon of his successowrs,
As ye han herd[e], drouh to that contre,
Ther to fynde refut & soco^rs
In his myscheeff & gret aduersite.
And with his woordes of gret auctorite,
His noble langage & his fair eloquence,
The peeple had hym in ful gret reuerence.
And for thei wem manli & coraious,
Able tassemble bothe in plate & maile.
He made hem rise ageyn Antigonus,
Bi ther prowesse with hym to ha[ue] bataille.
But of fortune his parti gan to faille,
Wher thilke peeple, the stori tellith thus,
Hadde euer aiForn[e] been victorious.
Antigonus hath the feeld recurid,
That day his knihtis fauht lik wood leouns,
In furious teene, of corage assurid,
Brak ther tentis & ther pauelouns,
Spoilled ther castellis, robbed ther dongouns, —
Wher that contre, vnwarli thus affraied,
Hadde neuer afFom in bataile been outraied.
And of despiht this peeple rek[e]les,
Cauht in ther herte gret indignacioun
Ageyn ther prince, this said Eumenydes,
Which hadde hem brouht to ther destrucciouw.
And al that peeple, of oon oppyniouw,
Presentid hym, it was nat aftir longe.
To Antigonus, bounde in cheynys stronge.
In this processe breefli to proceede.
At gret myscheef he deied in prisoun;
He fond no mercy, pleynli, as I reede,
For al his noblesse nor his hih renoun.
Yit of his manhod it is maad mencioun,
Who that his stori list to looke ariht.
With Alisaundre ther was no bettir kniht.
In his conquest eueri hour & space
He most cherisshed for his hih noblesse;
Aboue al othir stood most in his grace,
To helpe & releue folk in ther distresse.
There Eumenes
was well
2256 received.
2260
2264
2268
and persuaded
the people to
aid him against
Antigonus; but
unfortu-
nately the
Argyraspides
were defeated
for the first
time in their
history, and
robbed of their
possessions.
3373
2276
which enraged
them so that
they delivered
Eumenes up to
Antigonus
in chains.
2280
and he perished
miserably in
2284 prison,—
2288
he who had
before
been
most cherished
2292 by Alexander.
2255. And] om. H — Eumenes P.
2270. day] om. H. 2273. castell H.
53 6 An Envoy on the Heirs of Alexander [|bk. iv
Al-be that he deied in wrechidnesse:
To vs declaryng the grete variauwces
That al-day falle in Fortunys chauwcis. 2296
[f Lenvoye.]
Sa"ged?agaTn"' HPHIS ttagedie of Duk Eumcnydes [p. 236]
frowa^rd''^ Sheweth of Fortune J>e froward doubilnesse,
doubieness of How wotldU Dfincis hot be rek[e]les,
Fortuna. , . , \ .^ - . ^ "l '
With vnwar chauwgis lallen in distresse; 2300
And ther may been no gretter heuynesse,
AfFtir prospmte, nor no gretter peyne,
Than aduersite which that is sodeyne.
Jrelter'U^ow Gtcttest cnvie, whet is grettest p[r]es; 2304
than sudden Grcttest await, wher is most richesse;
adversity after . , , .
Prosperity- And grettest ese wher is rest & pes:
Wher most discord, most is heuynesse.
And of al sorwe, sorwefullest excesse 2308
Is thilke sorwe that doth a man constreyne,
Aftir prospmte aduersite sodeyne.
^swnd'^pelce Pfyncis in erthe, of power pereles,
is greatest ease. Which excelled al other in noblesse, 2312
and where there ■,■.,,.■,. iii-
is most discord, Hadde in this world bi conquest most encres,
heaviness. As AHsaundre his stori berth witnesse.
Remewbre the* fyn of al ther hih prowesse
And the tryuwphes to which thei dide atteyne: 2316
Aftir prospmte aduersite sodeyne.
he^irroF Aiex-"^ The sttonge enheritour[s] which ]^at he out ches,
Tdden^"'^^'^ i" Sixe & thtetti, the noumbre to expresse,
adversity, six Which hadde pocessiouw of kyngdamys dout[e]les,232o
and thirty of„,, .'^ , j-o
them, all of hch thyng obcycng to ther worthynesse,
great* ^ Til Fottune thoruh hir doubilnesse
possessions. Shewed hir myht, vnwarli to ordeyne
Afftir prospmte aduersite sodeyne. 2324
Noble Princes, ^oble Priucis, tauoide al disencres,
avoid discord, '_ . '
envy and Among yowr-silfF discordes doth represse.
causeless anger; --» i • • i
do nothing of Beth nat envious nor irous causeles;
hasty wilfulness, ^^, i-i i ri**iri
lest there be Werkith no thyng or hasti wilrulnesse; 2328
adversity. Lat discteciouw been your gouerneresse:
2297. Eumenes P. 2300. chaunge H. 2301. ther] thei R.
2304. pres] pes J, peace P.
2308. sorwe] om. H — sorwefullest] sorowfull H.
2309. doth] om. R. 2315. the] ther B.
2318. enheritour R — he] be R, H. 2320. possessions R.
2327. nor] ne H.
BK. IV]
The Story of ^wen Olympias
537
For ther mut folwe, iff ye parte on tweyne,
Aftir prospmte aduersite sodeyne.
[How queene Olimpiades for she delited in vices
moordre and vengeaunce deied atte mischeeff.] ^
NEXT in ordre to Bochaj dede appeere,
Afftir the myscheef of Eumenides,
The grrte queen, wi'tZ? a ful pitous cheer,
Moodir of Alisaundre, Olympiades,
Bom of the \ynt of Eacides;*
Among queenys, hir stori berth witnesse,
Excellid al other of beute & richesse.
She was douhtir to Neptolonius,
The myhti kyng of Epirothes,
And hadde suspect how Neptanabus
Bi enchauntement put hymsilff in pres
Of wifli trouthe to make hir rek[e]les.
But Bochas heer, for to saue hir name.
Writ but a litil of hir sclaundrous diffame.
This said[e] queen, riht fair of hir visage,
Was firste brouht foorth in thilke regiouns,
Wher all the worthi of blood & of lynage
Heeld ther sceptris & ther riche crouns,
Thoruhout al Grece with ful pocessiouns;
So that this queen that tyme nih & ferre
Was of beute callid the lode-sterre.
After Eumenes,
2332 Olympias
appeared before
Bochas.
She exceUed aU
other queens in
beauty and
wealth,
2336
and was
daughter of
2XA.O ^eoptiJemus.
"^ It was
suspected that
Nectanebes had
been her lover,
but Bochas
wrote little of
2344
234S
She was
very fair, and
called the lode-
star of beauty.
2352
But among al hir gret prospmte,
Hir youthe flouryng in most souereyn noblesse,
Hir ioie was medlid wxtZ? gret aduersite.
Whan Phelipp Macedo, to hir gret heuynesse, 2356
Was mortalli woundid in distresse.
In Cithia bacerteyn nacioun
Callid Tribalois, as maad is mencioun.
For in that centre upon a certeyn day,
Wher-as he fauht & dede his besi peyne
To gete a cite, & at the siege lay.
Her joy was
turned to
adversity when
her husband,
PhiUp,
-,/c_ lost one of his
a siege in
Scythia;
2330. ther] that R — ye parte] the party R.
2333. Eumenes P.
2336. Eacides] Gacides B, R, Gaades J.
2339. to]ofR — Neoptolemus P. 2341. Nectanabus P.
2343. hir] hym R.
2361. fauht] fauh H. 2362. lay] late H.
* MS. J. leaf 96 recto.
53 8 The Story of ^een Olympias []bk. iv
And for thassaut dede his stuff ordeyne,
He lost vnwarli oon of his eien tweyne, 2364
That whan the queen beheeld his sodeyw wouwde,
She fill for sorwe * euene plat to grouwde.
^ie'wa^s°?n- AnothcF thyng, bookis specefie,
Scion of'her Troubled hir fame bi gret heuynesse: 2368
Nem^^brs'*^^ '^^^ suspect sclauwdre of auout[e]rie
Wrouht bi Neptanabus enchauntywg hir fairnesse,
The liht eclipsyng of hir hih noblesse
Be swifft[e] report for to hyndre hir name, — 2372
What fleeth mor swift than doth wikked fame ?
Sy^ihan'""''' In womawheede, as auctowrs alle write,
what'^ava'is ^^^^ thyng comendid is ther chast honeste;
royal blood Thyng most sclaundrous ther noblesse tatwite, 2^76
against itf t i • • r i • c i ' o/
Is whan pnncessis ot hasti freelte
Exceede the boundis of wifli chastite:
For what auaileth lynage or roial blood,
Whan of ther lyuyng the report is nat good ? 2380
Edlr'oncf The hooli bed diffouled of mariage, [p. 237]
eSiyput'down.^'^ onis soilled may nat recurid be;
The vois goth forth & the froward langage
Bi many rewm & many gret cite. 2384
Sclaundre hath a* custum, & that is gret pite,
Trewe outher fals, bi contagious soun
Onis reised [up] it goth nat lihtli doun.
mat^rsHtiu ^nd to mot hyndryng of Olympiades, 2388
orympial. Philip P^elipp from hir dede awey* declyne;
took Cleopatra, And of the kyng of Epirothes
Alexander of The wif he took[e] to his concubyne,
concubine. CalHd Cleopatra, pleynli to termyne. 2392
And thus in myscheeff to encrece hir trouble,
Ther fals auoutry gan to wexe double.
2363. ordeyne] ordey H.
2366. For sorwe she fill B, R — to] to the R.
2373. doth] om. J, P. 2377. freelte] cruelte H.
2381. diffouled] defoyled P.
2382. nat] om. H.
2383. MS. J, "nota de scandalo," in scribe's hand in red,
margin of leaf 96 verso.
2385. a] of B, J, R — &] om. H — gret] om.], H 5.
2386. outher] or H — contagious] a contagious R 3, H 5.
2387. up] om. R, J, R 3, H 5.
2389. awey dede from hir B, J, R.
BK. IV]
The Story of Olympias
539
Off this processe write I will no more.
Cause the mateer is abhomynable; 2396
For kyng Phelipp the bargeyn bouhte sore,
As is remembred be cronicles ful notable,
Slayn on a day sittyng at his table,
Ful sodenli or he took any heede; — 2400
Pausanias dede that cruel deede.
Of which[e] slauhtre folwed a straunge cas.
As ye ban herd, bi Pausanias wrouht:
Olympiades ful glad & murie was,
Heuy outward, hir herte void of thouht;
Yit feynyngli she hath out weies souht
For hym to holde solempne & roiall
Lik Greekis rihtis a feeste funerall.
Aftir whos deth, wrouht of gret cruelte,
Kyng Alisaundre maad no lenger let.
Made Pausanias taken for to bee
And to been hangid upon an hih gibet,
Vpon whos bed ther was a crowne set
Of gold & perle & riche stonis Inde
Be Olympiades, in story as I fynde.
For he stood gretli in the queenis grace; 2416
And as folke dempte of suspecioun,
Thei mette togidre in many preve place.
Which gretli turned to hir confusioun;
For noise aroos thoruh al that regeoun, 2420
That be thoccasiouw of ther misleuyng.
How Pausanias slouh Phelipp the kyng.
But she anon in hir malis feruent
Fro the gebet made hym be take doun, 2424
Made his bodi solempneli be brent,"
Kept his exequies with gret oblaciouw*
Aftir the rihtis of that regeoun,
Nat left behynde in parti nor in all 2428
That appartened to feestis funerall.
Vpon kyng Phelipp, as it wer for the nonys
To doon hir lord a shame & [a] despiht,
Solempneli she made brenne the bonis 2432
Thus there was
adultery on
both sides, until
Philip was slain
at his table by
Pausanias.
Olympias'
sorrow was
feigned;
2404
2408
and when
her ton
Alexander
hanged
Pausanias,
she set a
2412 ficjj crown on
his head.
for he had
been her lover
and stood high
in her favour.
This caused
still more
scandal.
She then had
him taken down
from the
gallows, and hi*
body was burnt
with royal
ceremonies
on that of King
Philip, to do
her lord a shame
and a despite.
2396. is] is SO H.
2417. as3 om. R. 2420. thoruh] thoruhout H.
2424. be] to be R. 2425. be] to be R.
2426. exequias R — oblablacioun B. 2431. a] om. R.
540 The cruel Nature oj Olympias [bk. iv
Of Pausanias, for a fals appetit, —
Vnto no man she hadde so gret delite;*
For which this feste was lik in alle thynges
To thexequies of princis & of kynges. 2436
SoffeHnrto She made his suerd[e] also to be take,
t^l^dwlth"' With which he slouh Phelipp the grete kyng,
which he kuied OfFtid it up ohH for his sake
Toforn Appollo, be record of writyng. 2440
Which to hir was sclauwdre & gret hyndryng,
Caused folk deeme in ther entent,
To slen kyng Phelipp how she was of assent.
pi'lasuJe was To been cruel was set al hir plesauwce : 2444
set on cruelty. YoT merciles, void of al pite,
She caused /^.
Qeopatra to (Jn Cieopatte causyng this vengauwce,
and murdered That she hirsilfF[e] heeng upon a tre;
her daughter. ]y[QQ^(jj,jj j^j^ douhtir, the stori ye may see. 2448
What malis may, yif it be declared,
Vnto the malis of womwen be compared ?
b?compa*re"to ^ speke of them that be malicious
the malice of ^j^d Hst of custum for to be vengable : 2452
women. One "^
in a thousand Among a thousand oon may be vertuous,
virtuous, one in And in too thousand sum oon is merciable;
^e°cifu°rand But whan thei been of rancour vntretable,
Sdger?s^''^' Ther is no tigre mor cruel dout[e]les, 2456
more cruel. Record I take off Olympiades.
So^hl* herself "^"^ ^he of malis was mor set affire
strong because Texccute boldli hir vengaunce,
Alexander had •-,. , . r i
conquered Bi thoccasioun ot the gret empire 2460
ersia, q^ Perse & Mede, ful famous in substauwce,
Which stood be conquest vnder the gou^rnauwce
Of Alisauwdre, wherbi she thouhte hir strong
Tacheve ech thyng, wher it wer* riht or wrong. 2464
was^'Ywned^n Dcmptc hir powccr sholde ay contune [p. 238]
Babylon. g} the mene of his hih mageste.
God is strenger than the queen Fortune,
Which sufFred hir sone in his most dignite 2468
In Babiloyne poisouned for to bee,
As is remembred in many old histories,
Aftir his tryuwphes & [al] his gret victories.
2434. delite] despiht B, R, J, P. 2436. To] of H.
2454. is] may be H. 2459. Texecute] Execute R.
2464. wher] whether P — wer] be B, R, J, P, H 5.
2465 . ay] ay wey R. 247 1 . al] om. P — gret] om. R, J, hih H .
BK. IV3
Tbr Story of Olympias
541
But for to passe breefBi by* writyng,
Touchyng this queen, as maad is menciouw,
Whan ded was Phelipp, the famous myhti kyng,
She hadde off Macedoyne ful pocessioun,
And gouemed that myhti regioun, 2476
Wher lik a woluesse, as auctowrs of hir write.
To shede blood she gan hirsilfF deHte.
In hir tirannye most feruent & irons,
Reioisshede in slauhtre & to see men bleede; 2480
For serpent non was mor malicious
Than was this queen, in bookis ye may reede.
Yit afFtir al this she resceyued hir meede;
For thouh Fortune fauoured hir a while, 2484
Yit with hir treynes she koude hir weel begile.
-•-- She governed
2472 Macedonia
like a wolvess.
No serpeat
was more
malicious.
The eende of tirauntis & eek of tiraunessis,
And of moordreris, be thei neuer so wood.
Of poisounmongeris & enchaunteressis, .
Of fals supplantowrs, contrarie to all good.
And of conspireres & them that thriste blood, —
Alle thes muste han bi Goddis purueyaunce
Heer short liff or sodenli vengaunce. 2492
In Macedoyne this queen was most behatid
For hir vengable mortal oppressioun;
And Cassander ageyn hir hath debatid
And gunne a werre upon hir regeoun.
Which Talisaundre mynystrid the poisoun,
As ye han herd, afFom of hym deuised,
Bi Antipater most mortalli practised.
She fond no refFut, but took hir to the fliht,
This cruel queen, this Olympiades,
Into a mounteyn that stood ferr out of siht;
And of hir kyn ther folwed hir gret pres,
Supposyng talyued ther in pes.
For on that hill stood a gret dongoun,
Strongli walled abouten envirouw.
Which that marchid to a gret cite
Callid Epidna, stondyng in gret doute,
Because Cassander of old enmyte
2472. by] the B, R, to the J.
2492. Heer] Outhir her H — or sodenli] on sodeyn R.
2496. hir] his R, a H. 2504. talyued] ta lyven H.
Tyrants and
tyrannesses,
poisonmongers
and enchan-
2488 tresses have
short lives.
She was
hated in
Macedon,
and when
Cassander
made war
2496 on her.
she fled to
a mountain
stronghold
2500
2504
near Epidna,
where she wa»
2508 besieged by
'' Cassander and
captured by
treachery.
542 The Death of Olympias {^bk. iv
Hadde for hir leide a seege [al] aboute.
And non was hardi for to issen oute,
Til Cassander, of fals compassed tresouw, 2512
Made with them a composiciouw.
^s?ur?/her His fcith was leid that tyme for hostage,
that she might g} ^th assutid to Olympiades,
live in peace, , .
Bi couert fraude vnder fair langage, 2516
To suiFren hir with hym to lyue in pes.
But of his promys, he fals & rek[e]les,
For vnder trete, as maad is menciouw,
The queen he took & cast hir in prisouw. 2520
prombf' ^'' But wil ye seen a roial hih corage,
H^rthe^faSd ^^^ boldeli, delyuered fro prisoun,
her enemies ghe descendid, imperial of visage,
■with imperial x-it- i i i • • i i i • •
courage, With al hir maidnes aboute hir envirouw, 2524
Hir enmyes present, wodere than leou«,
Seyng hir stonde so statli of hir face.
Whan thei wer proudest tareste hir & manace.
occasfon Hkfan She was arraied of purpos for the nonys, 2528
empressinrich ^g geith Bochas, in most statli wise;
purple and gold. - . , -i i i • •
In riche purpil, gold & pr<fcious stonis,
Lik an emperesse in the Grekissh guise.
Hir list nat fleen, the stori doth deuise, 2532
With cry nor noise passed nat hir bouwdis,
Whan that hir blood doun railled from hir wouwdis.
?ry%o'lscape. She nat affraicd in al hir mortal shour[e]s;
bh^d'flowed^'' ^°^^ °^ ^^ feer[e] list nat bowe hir chyne, 2536
from her Make no praieer to hir tormentOMr[e]s,
Nor no tokne of corage femynyne.
Vpriht she stood[e], list nat douw declyne,
Gaffeuidence*, as it is comprehendid, 2540
Of what lyne & blood she was descendid.
and shTwed'of ^or vnto tymc that she gaf up the breth,
what line she W^s ueuer seyfcln prince nor princesse
was descended. ii • i i r i i i
Never did a 1 hat mor proudh took ther ratal deth. 2544
princess die For as I decmc, hir marcial hardynesse
more prou y. Q^j^ from Bellona, of armys cheef goddesse;
Outher she hadde it bynfluence of corage
Youe bi the goddis to hire & hir lynage. 2548
25 II. issen] isshu H. 2516. fair] fals H.
2531. the] ther H — Grekis R. 2533. nor] & H.
2536. cheyne R, cheyn H.
2540. euidence] Euidencis B, R, J, R 3, H 5, P. 2546. froR.
BK. IV]
An Envoy on Olympias
543
Force is a vertu, bookis spesefie, [p.
Ageyn al vices to make resistence;
But froward rancour & wood* malencolie
GafF hir a spirit of feyned pacience,
A fals pretence of hih* magnificence,
Ascauns* she hadde been in vertu strong,
For trouthe to haue endurid eueri wrong.
Contrarious force made hir despitous.
Strong in hir errour to endure peyne;
Of obstynat herte she was fell & irous,
In dethis constreynt list nat to compleyne.
Countirfet suflFraunce made hir for to feyne;
Nothyng of vertu, pleynli to termyne,
Nor of no manerys* that be femynyne.
In hir entrailles al malis was enclosed
And al contagious venym serpentyne,
Nat lik a woman, but as a feend disposid.
Able to destroie al vertuous disciplyne:
Thus she began; thus she dede fyne.
In vicious moordre she dede hir ay delite,
Wherfor of hire me list no mor tendite.
■*J7J Virtue to resist
vice; but it
was perverse
rancour and
mad rage that
2552 gave her a
false pretence
of magnificence.
2:;:;6
Obstinacy kept
her from
complaining;
there was
neither virtue
nor womanli-
ness in her.
2560
Her nature was
like that of a
2564 fi"**^-
2568
9 Lenvoye.
ALLE ye that shal this tragedie see.
Of routhe & m^rci hath compassioun,
To seen a princesse from hir impmal see 2572
So vnwarli by Fortune throwe doun.
Of whos myscheefF this was thoccasioun,
That in thre thynges was set most hir plesaunce:
In vicious lust*, in moordre & in vengaunce. 2576
Alas, that euer the mortal cruelte
Of bloodi suerd bi execucioun
Sholde been approprid to femynyte,
Ageyn the nature of ther condicioun! 2580
Causyng the fynal sclaundrous confusioun
Have com-
passion on this
princess, so
suddenly
thrown down
by Fortune.
Alas, that
women should
be so
unnatural at to
draw the
sword!
I
2551. wood] proud B, R, J. 2553. hih] his B, hir R.
2554. Ascauns] As scauns B, J, As skawns R 3.
2559. constreynt] compleynt H.
2562. manerj's] mannys B, R, J, R 3, H, mannes H 5.
2563. And in hir entraile H. 2565. as] like H.
2569. tendite] endite H. 2575. thynges] kynges R.
2576. lust] Ij^ B, R, J, life P — 3rd in] om. H, J, H 5, P, fals
R 3. 2580. the] om. H.
544
The serpent
bides under
fresh flowers,
and deep pits
lie beneath
crystal waters.
Though she
excelled all
in beauty,
no princess was
ever more
savage and
revengeful.
Noble Prin-
cesses, be
merciful and
forgiving,
temper your
indignation with
pity.
Cankered
rancour does not
belong to
womanhood;
and where
mercy reigns
grace abounds.
Let patience
dwell in your
hearts;
An Envoy on Olympias [bk. iv
Of Olymplades, heer put in remewbrauwce.
For vicious lust, moordre & fals vengauwce.
Vnder fressh flowrs, riht soote & fair to see, 2584
The serpent dareth with his couert poisouM.
In cristal watres that calm & smothe* bee
Am pereillous pettis ful of decepcioun.
Men seen alday hi cleer inspeccioun 2588
In feynyng facis angelik suffisauwce;
Hid vndir-nethe rancour & gret vengauwce.
Thouh she excellid of hir natifF beute
Al othir pnnc[ess]is of that regeoun, 2592
Was neuer sey[e]n feller non thaw she.
To execute lik hir oppenyoun
The pereilous treynys cowtreued of tresouw,
And specialli in hir pompous greuaunce, 2596
Wher she hated, for to do vengauwce.
Noble Princessis, set hih in dignite.
Doth aduertise of discreciouM,
In your most poweer & largest liberte 2600
Beth merciable & doth remyssiouw,
SugreJ) wtt^ pite your indignaciouw,
Lat grace & merci tempre your hih puissaunce,
Of Olympiades eschewyng the vengau[n]ce. 2604
Exilith rigour ferr out of contre,
Yiue hym with you no iurediccioun.
To womanheede longeth nat, parde,
Of cancred rancour newe execuciouw. 2608
Wher mercy regneth, of grace ther is foisouw,
Hath this in mywde bi long contynvauwce,
Of Olympiades forgetyng the vengaunce.
Lat pacience bi vertuous plente 2612
Withynne your hertis purchace a mansioun;
Lat your compassiouw attempren equite.
That riht exceede nat the boundis of resouw.
So that yoMr femynyn humble entencioun 2616
Be alway bridled be prouident sufFrauwce,
Voidyng al excessis of rigour & vengauwce.
2584. fair/r & soote H.
2586. smothe] soote B, R, soot J.
2589. feynyng] femynyne H, H 5, femynyn R 3, feminine P.
2597. for] om. R. 2600. largest] lagest R.
2602. your pite v/hh H.
BK. IV]
Agathocles the low-born Tyrant
545
For it is said of old auctorite.
To wommen longeth bi disposicioun
Meeknesse in langage, in port humylite.
In al vertu humble subieccioun,
Void of manacis, strifF & contencioun,
So that no man in your attendaunce
Espie no tokne of rancour nor vengaunce.
The especial mene, the parcialite
Sholde of al merci be descripsioun
Rebounde to women; for of antiquite
The lamb nat vsed to pleie the leoun.
Nor no meek dowue envied the faucoun.
Nor to your sect, bi natural accordaunce,
Sitt nouther rigour nor hasti fel vengaunce.
This symple Lenvoie, resceyueth it at gre
And hath therof non indignacioun,
Lowli direct to your benignite
Onli of meeknesse & no presuwpcioun,
Knowyng of kynde your inclynacioun
Disposed is bi natural purueiaunce
Vnto al merci, & nothyng onto vengaunce.
2620
for it is laid
of old, that
meekness and
humility are
appropriated
to womankind.
2624
The lamb is
not accustomed
to play
the lion, nor
2628 '^°** ^^ dove
■ envy the
falcon.
2632
Fr* ,, ^ r>l Le^ *^'''* »'™Pl«
IP- ^A^i envoy not
offend you, for
it is lowly
directed to
your benignity
2636 by one who
knows that your
nature is dis-
posed to mercy.
[How Agathodes of lowe birthe bom atteyned to
roial dignite/ ended in pouerte and wrecchid-
nesse.] ^
IHAUE herd seid of ful yore agon,
A whirle-wywd[e], blowing nothing softe,
Was in old Inglissh callid a rodion,*
That reiseth duste & strauh ful hih alofte.
And in thascendyng (it falleth so ful ofte),
Thouh it be bor[e]n almost to the skie,
Wher it becomth ther caw no man espie.
-/;._ A whiriwind
2040 u^d to be
called a rodjon;
and when it
rises, no man
can say what
becomes of it.
2644
2629. 2nd the] witi \>c H.
2630. dowue] doun (?) H — Facoun H.
2633. This stanza is omitted in H.
2636. no] none R.
2640. The Explicit to Book IV and Incipit to the Prologue of Book
V are misplaced here in H.
2641. whorle wynde H, whyrwynd H 5.
2642. rodian B, other MSS. and P, rodion. 2643. That] And H.
2644. it] is H, 2645. to] in to H, R 3.
^ MS. J. leaf 97 verso.
Smoke often
ascends
mountain high;
but just as
often, when
a sudden rain
comes, it
descends again.
546 Agathocles. Crowns are not suitable for Knaves [bk. iv
Out of forgis bi fire {xjt smethis make,
Bi cleer experience it is ful ofte seyn, 2648
That thes infernal ougli smokes blake '
Transcende the copp<? of many gret mouwteyw;
But ofte sithe bi a ful sodeyn reyn
Al such ascenciouws, bi rage of wywd up blowe, 2652
Wit^ vnwar tourn be reuersed & brouht lowe.
And semblably to putte it at a preefF
And execute it bi cleer experience,
On the moste contrarious myscheefF 2656
Founde in this erthe, bi notable euidence,
Is onli this: bi fortun at violence
Whan that a wrech[e], cherlissh of nature,
Thestat of princis vnwarli doth recure. 2660
A crowne of gold is nothyng accondyng
For to be set upon a knauis hed;
A foltissh clerk for to were a ryng
Accordeth nothyng, who that kan take heed. 2664
And in this world ther is no gretter dreed
Than poweer youe, yif it be weel souht,
Vnto such on that first roos up of nouht.
Ther is no maner iust convenience, 2668
A roial charboncle, rubie or garnet.
Nor a chast emeraud of vertuous excellence.
Nor ynde saphirs in coper to be set, —
Ther kyndli poweer in foul metal is let; 2672
And so thestat of politik puissauwce
Is lost wher-euer knaues haue gouernauwce.
For a tyme thei may weel up ascende,
Lik wyndi smokes ther boistous fumys spreede. 2676
A crownid asse, pleynli to cowprehende,
Void of discreciouw is mor for to dreede
Than is a leouw: for the ton in deede
Of his nature is myhti & roiall; 2680
Void of discreciouw, the tothir bestiall.
Ierc!fui"to The gentil nature of a strong leouw
those who lie Xo prosttat peepl[e] of kynde is m<frciable;
prostrate before ^ i, i r ti rr i j
him; the Fot vnto all that talle afrorn hym douw 2684
u°aTway6^ruei. His roiall puissauwcc cannat be vengable.
2648. ofFten H.
2654. semblable R. 2659. a wrech] wrecches J.
2679. a] om. H. 2682. The] This R.
One of the
greatest of
misfortunes
is when
a low-born
wretch
is lifted to
high estate.
A crown of
gold is not
suitable for the
head of a
knave, nor
should a stupid
clerk wear a
ring.
We do not set
precious stones
in copper; and
the estate of
political power
is lost when
knaves have
governance.
They rise up
like windy
smokes; and a
crowned ass
is more to be
dreaded than
a lion.
churls.
We must
remember that
BK. iv] Churlish Wolves atid foltish Asses are always cruel 547
But cherlissh wolues, bi rigour. vntretable,
And fohissh assis, eek of bestialite,
Failyng resoun, braide euer on cruelte. 2688
Non is so proud as he that can no good, prouTLa ^
The leudere hed, the mor presumpcioun, ^F^""^'
Most cruelte & vengaunce in louh blood, ignorance and
° , . .. . presumption,
Wher malepertnesse, ther mdiscrecioun. 2692 impudence and
Of cherl & gentil make this dyuisioun: hand in hand.
Of outher of them I dar riht weel reporte,
The stok thei cam fro, therto thei wil resorte.
The rose knowe be colour & suetnesse, 2696 S^^^ut"nd
And violettis for ther fressh tarage, P'^?^" =°'^
. o ' bnars are
The netle rouh[e] for his fel sharpnesse, always true to
rry-y 'i-i ••! I* their stock, and
Ihistlis, breens pnkyng bi gret outrage: rudeness is in-
And thus considred the rote of ech lynage, 2700 L*'the fine 0°
Froward techchis been euer in cherlis founde,
Wher vnto gentilesse ay vertu doth rebounde.
Lat men bewar in special of o thyng.
How gret decepcioun is in fals coignage: 2704 ^^""y*^*^
The plate may be briht in his shewyng, bright;
The metal fals & shewe a fair visage.
Al is nat gold, to speke in pleyn langage,
That shynith briht; concludyng of* resoun, 2708
Vnder fair cheer is ofte hid fals poisoun.
For as a skie or an ougli cloude Kf^h'e^'^*
Which that ascendith lowe out of the se, ^f" °f ^f^""^*
And with his blaknesse doth the sunne shroude, 2712 "siy Wack
rj^i ^ 1 • r 1 1 •! clouds obscure
1 hat men may nat his gret[ej bnhtnesse see the sun.
Nor haue no counfort of his cleer beute,
So vicious techchis, I do you weel assure,
DifFace ful ofte the giftes of nature. 2716
God onto summe hath youen bi nature [p. 241] ^e'^me^fafr
For to excellen another in faimesse; yet vidous, as
Yit in vicis, be record of scripture,
Thei wer disclaundred, Bochas berth witnesse: 2720
Outward sugre, inward bittirnesse,
Bi which exaumple, to purpos I may call
Agathodes, fulfilled of vices all.
2692. Wher] With P — malapertnesse R, J, R 3, raalap^rtenesse
H, malapertnes P
2703. bewar] ware R. 2708. of] on B, J, H 5, R.
2709. offten H — hid] om. R.
2717. hath] as R. 2723. Agathocles P.
was Agathocles.
548 'Tke Story of Agathocles, the low-horn Tyrant [bk. iv
discribe'lii? I" t^^s stori he kometh now on the ryng, 2724
iTwouirAiin^' Which of beute hadde passyng excellence;
the paper I But to declare his vicious lyuyns:
wnte on. . . , , . .•'•'%.
And to descryue his outraious ottence, —
Yif I sholde writen in sentence 2728
Lik his demerites hooli the maneer,
It wolde thoruh perse & blotte my paper.
Sn of a^potter Touchyng his berthe, of louh[e] bed descendid,
to'foiw''h?s"'' Sone of a pottere, the story ye may see, 2732
father's trade. In no vertu I fynde hym nat comendid,
Except nature gaff hym gret beute.
Fostrid in myscheeff & in gret pouerte,
Hadde eek disdeyn, I can hym nat excuse, 2736
Of hatful pride his fadris craft to vse.
Jreat"beauty ^^ ^^^ mene of his gret fairnesse
he rosc^to^high "Yq hih estat he cam fro louh degre;
although he was Yit in a vice which I wil nat expresse 2740
and unnatural Hc disusid cursidU his beute
^'"' Ageyn nature, that euel mut he* the.
And soiled he was, shortli to specefie.
With al the vicis* of pride & lecherie. 2744
S^idrnTtt'iirY^^ natwithstondyng his fals condiciouws,
fortunate and Qod suffted hym to come to hih estat,
govern nations. - , ,
And to gouerne dyuers naciouws,
I fynde a while how he was fortunat, 2748
In his lecherie ay pompous & elat;
And in a cite callid Ciracuse
The said[e] vices he frowardli* gan vse.
had^Se^coml"* And for he hadde beute & gret myht, 2752
humfred^knfh '^^ ^^^^ vices his youthe he dede enclyne.
And koude also foorthre hj'^msilf ariht,
Of elloquence expert in the doctryne.
And, as is said, thouh he cam of low lyne, 2756
Yit, as it is put in remembrauwce.
An hundred knihtis he hadde in gouernaunce.
the officfof''* OfFcenturien he purchacid an offis,
Afterwards he ^"^ ^^^^ tyme he took the ordre of kniht; 2760
was chosen a Aftir chose a tribun of gret pris,
tribune and a i r • i i* 'i
finally he was And gat gret tauout m the peeplis siht.
elected duke. b b r r
2727. offence] difFence H. 2742. he] the! B, R, J.
2744. vicis] spicis B, R, H, spices J, R 3, spyces H 5, spises P.
2751. he frowardli] frowardli he B, R, J. 2756. as] as it H.
BK. iv] The Story of Agathocles, the low-born Tyrant 549
And in this while, it fill so anon riht,
Of Siracusis he was maad duk & hed
Bi eleccioun, because ther lord was ded.
Which with Siciliens heeld a mortal striff;
But Agathodes made hem* victorious,
Took ther duchesse aftir to his wiff,
Bi mene wherofF he wex ful glorious.
And in his glorie he greuh riht despitous,
Forgat hymsilfF, thus growyng in estat,
Wherthonih his cite & he wer at debat.
His condicioun whan thei gan espie.
And sauh hym werke al of presumpciouw,
The peeple anon, knowyng his tirannye,
Exilid hym out of ther regioun.
In his exil, as maad is menciouw.
He coude fynde no bettir cheuisaunce,
But cam tacite that callid was Murgaunce.
Wher bi his sleihti sotil fals auis.
He so demened hym in the peeplis siht.
That of a pretax thei gaff hym an offis,
He meuyng them in al that euer he miht
Geyn Siracusis to make hem stronge & fiht,
Of entent on them tauenged bee.
Cause for his exil out of that cite.
But in [his] exil, the stori seith non othir.
It was so wrouht bi mediacioun
Of duk Amulchar, that was his sworn brother,
Siracusanis off oon entencioun
Callid [him] horn ageyn into ther toun;
And ther he was restored to his place
And reconsiled to the peeplis* grace.
And vnto hym thei gaf be gret auis,
B assent of lordis & al the comounte,
Of a pretor newli an offis.
For pretores of custom callid be
Officers that duelle in a* cite,
And han ful charge bi doom & iugementis
To putte al gilti to peyne & to tormentis.
2764
He defeated the
Sidiians and
married their
duchess, and,
2768 increasing in
magnificence
and power.
2772
grew proad and
quarrelled with
hit dty.
2776
,-Ort H" people
^''^ exiled him to
Murgantia,
where he
became a
praetor and
tried to stir
up strife
against
Syracuse in
revenge.
2784
Duke Hamilcar
persuaded the
2''88 ^J^'cusans to
' restore him;
and after the
reconciliation
they also made
him a prxtor.
2792
2796
2800
2767. Agathocles P — hem] hym B.
2773. condiciouns H — gan] did H.
2775. knowyng his] all of R.
2791. him] om. H, R, J, R 3, H 5, P.
2793. peeplis] kyngis B, R, J. 2798.
a] the B, R, J.
550 The Story of Agathocles, the low-born Tyrant [bk. iv
neTfuSJity. Than of newe this Agathodes, [p. 242J
he caused all Bccausc hc haddc mor auctorite,
the senators to i i i • o i
be slain, Castc fof to troublc the quiete & the pes
Of Siracusis; & out of that cite 2804
AUe the senatours grettest of dignite,
Of mortal vengaunce this tirauwt made anon
Withoute excepciouw be slayn euerichon.
t^di^thatr^*" This hasti slauhtre wrouht hi tirannye 2808
pillaged the Miht nat assuage nor staunche his fel corage,
whole of Sicily *=> i i • i i •
and claimed the 111 he thct trcsours tooK Di roDDene,
ing. ^^ J ^j Sicile he spoiled be pillage.
Cast of pride upon an hier stage 2812
For tascende bi sleihti fals werkyng,
Of al that regeoun he to be crowned kyng.
b"\he dL^ke of Made his subgettis, maugre them, hyw dreedyng,
Carthage, Xo calle hym kyng, and in especiall, 2816
Oon the most worthi prince tho lyuyng
That sat in chaier of mageste roiall, —
Til Fortune shoop he muste haue* a fall;
For of Cartage the duk, a worthi kniht, 2820
Fauht with hym twies & put hyw to the fliht.
ilf dTs"racf '*°'"^^^^'^^'^'^'^'^^ ^^ stood in myscheef disespeired,
And of al peeple he was had in disdeyn;
To Siracuse in haste he is repeired 2824
And to his cite retourned horn ageyn,
Ther abidyng in dreed & noun certeyw, —
For whan Fortune gan ageyn hym take,
His freendis olde of newe han hyw forsake. 2828
Tniw^'imy"^ In that myschcefF he abood nat long,
defeated the ^g |-}^e processc makcth rehersaille,
Carthaginians ^ ,,,„,, i
Gadred peeple & made hymseluen strong,
Onli in purpos al Affrik to assaille, 2832
With them of Cartage hadde a gret bataille,
Them discouwfited, as Fortune list ordeyne,
Bi hih prowesse of his sonis tweyne.
5'his^^two^'^ Artagathus Icallid was the ton, 2836
Ar"cha athus Wondcr delyuer, a man of gret[e] myht,
and Heraciida. The scconde brother, most worthi of echon,
2818. chaer R. 2819. haue] han B.
2831, 32 are transposed in R, but correction indicated.
2832. for tassaile H, R 3, H 5. 2834. discounforted R.
2836. Archagathus P. 2837. a] & a B, H, R, H 5, R 3.
cxjvetousness
made him err.
BK. iv] The Story of Agatbocles, the low-horn Tyrant 551
Callid Eraclida, which in that mortal fiht
Preued hymsilfF that day a manli kniht; 2840
For bi ther manhod, in which ther was no lak,
Thei of Cartage wer felli put abak.
For thouh so were bi fortune of the werre wi'^^lorious.
Agathodes hadde that day victorie, 2844
Fals couetise made hym for to erre
And eclipsed the liht of his glorie.
For as it is remewbred in historie,
Lik as his berth, as it tofom termyned, 2848
To al falsnesse his corage was enclyned.
Cruel of custum, of herte merciles, hfs'io^ori^^.
His will was lawe, wher it were* wrong or riht; rev^Si*
Contrarie taccord, frowar[d] vnto pes, 2852 tyrant.
Proud & surquedous in his owne siht
Wher his poweer strechchid & his myht,
Lik a tiraunt natureli disposed
Texecute vengaunce afFom purposed. 2856
He thouhte he hadde poweer for to bynde "ad'fewJ'r'w
Fortunis wheel for to abide* stable, Fortune"
Which is a thyng contrarie to hir kynde, '^^^' ^=
1T71 • • 1 -11 nature of
Wnos propirte is to be vanabie: 2860 which is to be
His pride, alas, was to abhomynable;
For mortal prynce is non that may restreyne
Hir vnwar toum nor hir cours sodeyne.
Bi influence of the heuenli sterris, 2864 oum^us
The vnkouth cours aboue celestiall, }*'^'3?°f ^^^
Bi Fortune, & fauour of the werns, ""sed him
This Agothodes, of berthe but* rurall,
Promooted was vnto estat roiall, 2868
Til pride, outrage & froward engendrure
Caused in his lordship he myht nat long endure.
Fortune of kynde is so flaskisable, l°^X ^^'^
A monstruous beeste departed manyfold, 2872 ^'f^'^^xl^^eu
A slidyng serpent, tumyng & vnstable, n° ^oid on her.
Slepir to gripe; on whom ther is non hold,
2839. Heraclida P — which] with R. 2843. the] that R.
2848. ist as] om. H, R 3, H 5, P — it tofom] it toforn is H,
R 3, it is tofFom H 5. 2851. were] was B, om. J.
2858. tabide B. 2864. enfluence R.
2867. Agathodes P — but] ful B, R, J, P, H j.
2869. engendrure] aventurir H, engendur R 3.
2870. nat] om. H.
2874. Slepir] Slipir H, R 3, Sliper J, P, Slyper H $ — non] no R.
552 The End of Agathocles [bk. iv
As in this book declared is & told,
Hir poweer preeued on princis rek[e]les: 2876
Record with other on Agathodes.
bom'intoirrty As yc han herd rehersed in sentence,
ro^aresute- Symple & bate was his natyuite,
his fall was' Brouht up & fostred in eret indigence, 2880
the more /-w r i r e> '
grievous because (Jut oi a stok spryngyng 01 pouerte,
Roos to thestat of roial dignite.
The* risyng vnkouth, merueilous tatteyne.
The fal mor greuous because it was sodeyne. 2884
From Siracuse he was exiled twies; [p. 243]
Vengable* of herte wher he hadde myht.
Of AiFrican[e]s disconfited thries;
Euer in bataile of custum put to fliht. 2888
Hadde an vsaunce to robbe day & niht,
And lik a tirauwt, ageyn conscience,
To spoile his subiectis bi rauynous violence.
^" *were slain Hyndrcd bi Fortune, wherof he was nat fayw, 2892
sons
in Africa; and j^jj. strook ageyn hym sodeyn & violent:
he became weak . ° r » nr •« * r
in his limbs and His sonis two in AfFrik Were* first slayn,
was stricken byyy ri'i ciio*
pestilence. Hc 01 his lymys wex teeble & impotent.
With a consumpciouw his entrailles brent, 2896
And bi an agu, contynuel of feruence.
He was supprised bi strook of pestilence.
weaK his kin, ^^ ^^^ ttcsour [Fortuue] hath fro hym take,
Y? ^}^f^^^ His proude port & his worldli glorie; 2900
victories were His kyu, his frcendis & wif hath hyw forsake,
forgotten, his ■,-,. t i o c
name eclipsed, His conqucst Qitk & put out ot mcmotie:
fn misery!'^ His name clipsed of al his old victorie.
And as he gan in pouert & distresse, 2904
So he made an eende in wrechidnesse.
^e^a'sffin'" Hasti tisyng, & thrifft that is sodeyne,
ra\d'and* And surmouwtyng bi violent rauyne,
dishonest And extott powect, may for a tyme atteyne 2908
In riche chaier of lordshipe for to shyne.
Sodeyn ascendyng doth sodenli declyne;
And bi vntrouthe, wher-euer ther be encres,
Men waite of custum a sodeyn disencres. 291a
2876. Hir] His R. 2883. The] Ther B, R, J, P.
2886, Vengable] Vengabli B, R, J, P. 2894. were] was B.
2895. InpotewtR, 2897. Agwe R. 2899. Fortune] om. R, J.
2901. &] his H. 2903. His] \)t H. 2904. &] & in H.
2907. rauyne] Rapyne H, R 3, H 5.
2909. chaier] chaar H — for] om. H. 2911. ther] om. R.
ascent.
BK. IV]
An Envoy on Royal Blood
553
Of Agathodes men may exaumple take,
What is the eende of eueri fals tiraunt.
Wrong clymbyng up doj) a foul eende make:
For a sesoun thouh tirauntis be puissant, 2916
Fortune to them yeueth no lenger graunt;
But whan thei sitte on hir wheel most roiall,
Bi vnwar chaung to haue a sodeyn fall.
Agothodes was firste a symple man, 2920
Brouht forth in myscheeff and in pouerte,
Sone of a pottere, his stori telle can,
Bi vicious lyuyng cam to gret dignite.
Of alle folk hatid for his cruelte, 2924
Clamb fro pouert up to gret richesse,
Maad poore ageyn, deied in wrechidnesse.
Agathocles
is a good
example.
The son of a
potter, he rose
to great wealth
and dignity
throDgh vicious
living, and died
in wretched-
[Lenvoye]
THIS tragedie sheweth a figure
Bothe bi stori & bi auctorite.
How man and beeste & eu^ry creature
Tarageth the stok of his natyuite:
Herbe of the roote, & ech frut of his tree.
For bothe of vertu & also of outrage
Folweth sum tech or tast of the lynage.
Agathodes, bi record of scripture.
Bom of louh bed, brouht foorth in pouerte,
Yit Fortune made hym to recure
Vp to hih estat from ful louh degre.
His resoun blent with sensualite,
Forgat hymseliF, to speke in pleyn langage,
Thoruh a fals tech that cam from his lynage.
Ther is a difference of colours in peynture,*
On table or wal, as men alday may see;
Tween gold & gold, atween bis & asure:
Al is nat gold that shyneth briht, parde;
Sum noble is fals that hath ful gret beute, —
Lat men bewar of countirfet coignage,
Techchis eschewyng of cherlissh low lynage.
2928
This tragedy
shews how
every creature
takes after his
parent's stock
for better or
for worse.
2932
Agathocles,
bom of low
bed, rose
to high estate
2936 and forgot
himsdf
in consequence
of his base
lineage.
2940
There is a
difference
between gold
and gold and
smalt and
azure. -All is
2944 not gold that
glitters.
2913. Agathodes P. 2918. most] om. H, R 3, P.
2922. his] the R. 2930. his] om. H.
2941. peynture] picture B, J, R, P.
2943. atween] tween R.
554 ^^^ Cruelty of Cassander and his Son Antipaterl [bk. iv
flr^^tlfroyar Sum man forthred of sodeyn auenture, 2948
eagles. gg^ in a chaiet of rolal dignite,
Wenyng his empire euer sholde endure,
Neuer to be troubled with non aduersite:
With roial egles a kite may nat flee, 2952
A iay may chatre in a goldene cage,
Yit euer sum tech mut folwe of his lynage.
SfuK " Gentil blood of his roial nature
aiwlys"cruei, ^^ euer enclyned to merci & pite, 2956
following the Wher of custum thes vileyns do ther cure,
nature of their t>. , • i o r i
churlish birth. tJi thcr vsurpid & extott rals pouste
To be vengable bi mortal cruelte,
Thoruh hasti fumys of furious corage, 2960
Folwyng the techchis of ther vileyn lynage.*
Prbc«7iet ^ myhti Princis, yo«r noblesse doth assure,
your^'woddiy* Your passiouns resteth with tranquillite,
mirror; avoid Seeth how ther is no mene nor mesure, 2064
jiis cxaiiidIc fts y "
your royal blood Wher a titaunt cachcheth the souereyntel
requires o you. j^^^ Agathodes yout worldH merottr bee,
Teschewe the tracis of his froward passage.
As roiall blood requereth of your lynage. 2968
[How Cassander slouh the wif of Alisaundre &
hercules hir sone/ and Antipater slouh his moder
& of other moordxes.] ^
o/Tgattctf npHE grete myschevys* of Fortunys miht,[p. 244]
Ind women ^ ^^^ woful falHs from hir wheel \n deede
appeared before Qf pfiucis, priucessis, who-so looke ariht,
Bochas; and the y-,, iioiipir i
first been lamentable & doolrul for to reede. 2972
But for al that, Bochas doth proceede
In his rehersaile, remewbryng thus hym-selue.
To hym appeered of men & women twelue.
wa^s^Bersane. ^f^j^ ^j^c deth of kyng Agathodes, 2976
Great"'^" ^"^^ Thct cam tofom hym worthi queenis tweyne:
The firste of them was callid Bersanes,
And of hir myscheef gan to hym compleyne,
Wiff to Alisaundre, the stori list nat feyne, 2980
2950. his] hir H. 2954. tech] om. H. 2960. forio«j R.
2961. lynage] langage B.
2963. resteth] wrestith H, R 3, H 5, rest P.
2969. myschevys] myscheefF B, J, R, P — miht] aventure R.
2974. thus remewbryng H,
^ MS. J. leaf 99 verso.
She and her
son Hercules
were slain by
Cassander, who
feared their
vengeance
for his treason
to Alexander,
Cassander did
not want
Hercules to
become king
of Nlacedon,
BK. iv] The Cruelty of Cassander and bis Son AntipaUr 555
The myhti kyng, grettest vnder sunne.
Which bi conquest al this world hath wonne.
Wiff unto hym* was this Bersanes,*
Bi his lyue, as maad is mencioun, 2984
Which with hir sone, named Hercules,
.Wer bi Cassander brouht to destruccioun.
And of ther* deth this was thoccasioun,
Cassander dradde that Bersanes the queen 2988
Wolde with hir sone on hym auengid been
For his tresouns, which he toforn hath wrouht
On Alisauwdre & on his lynage;
And specialli, yifF that she were* brouht 2992
To Macedoine for hir auauntage,
With hir sone, that was but yong of age,
Cassander thouhte & dradde, as I haue told,
Thei wolde auenge his tresouns wrouhte of old. 2996
He caste affom* of malis causeles.
This Cassander, most fals in his werkyng.
That yif this kniht, this yonge Hercules,
Sone of Alisaundre, bi record of writyng,
In Macedoyne wer take & crownid kyng.
How that he wolde of equite & riht
His fadris deth auengen lik a kniht.
Which thyug teschewe Cassander gan prouide.
And bi fals fraude was nat rek[e]les;
But on a day (he list nat longe abide)
Slouh first the queen, this said[e] Bersanes,
And thanne hir sone Icallid Hercules. 3008
Thus bi Cassander, of moordre cropp & roote,
Thei moordred wem; ther was non othir boote.
This cruelte myht[e] nat suffise
Vnto Cassander, be record of scripture; 3012
But lik a tiraunt in vengable wise
He dede hem burie, bi froward auenture,
Wher no man sholde knowe ther sepulture.
And thus, alas, which pite is to reede, 3016
He moordred foure out of oon kynreede.
2981. sunne] l>e Sonne H.
2983. unto hym] to Alisaundre B, R, J, P — Bersanes"] Bersabes
B.
2987. ther] hir B, J, R, P. 2992. were] was B.
2997. affom] of affom B. 2998. fals in his] falsli B, J.
301 1, cruelte] om. H — nat] nat enuh H.
3000
o'-^H murdered
Bersane and
then her son,
and, like a
tyrant,
ordained that
they should
be buried in
unknown
graves.
556 The Cruelty of Cassander and his Son Antipater [bvl. iv
To Alisawndre he mynistrld the poisouw,
Slouh the queen callid Olympiades,
And of hatreede hi ful fals tresouw, 3020
As I haue tolde, he slouh queen Bersanes,
WIf to Ahsauwdre, mooder to Hercules,
Which In youthe, bl Bochas rehersyng,
In Macedoyne was lik to haue been kyng. 3024
Afftir al this he koude nat lyue in pes,
But euer redi sum tresoun for to do,
Slouh eek the queen[e] callid Roxanes
Vpon a day, & hire yonge sone[s] too. 3028
And she was wifF to Alisauwdre also,
Cassander dreedyng, in his oppenyouti,
List thei wolde venge [hem] upon his fals tresoun.
Thus euer he lyued in moordre, sorwe & striflF;
Bi weie of fraude cam al his encres.
And, as I fynde, how he hadde a wifF,
And she was callid Thesalonices.
And as this stori remembreth dout[e]les,
A sone thei hadde born atween hem tweyne.
To slen his mooder which aftir dede his peyne.
Shortly [to] passe, myn auctour writ non othir,
Antipater was hir sones name;
And because that she loued his brother
Bettir than hym, he, to his gret diffame,
Compassed hir deth, the stori seith the same,
Natwithstondyng tappese his cruelte
She axed merci knelyng on hir kne.
Hir brestes open, white & softe as silk,
Al bedewed with teres hir visage,
Requered meekli at reuerence of the milk
With which he was fostred in yong[e] age.
For taue merci & tappese his rage.
And taccepte goodli hir praieere,
To saue the lyff of his mooder deere.
He gave
Alexander
poison and slew
Olympias,
Bersane and
Hercules.
Afterwards he
killed Queen
Roxana, another
wife of
Alexander, and
her two young
sons.
His wife
was called
Thessalonica,
and she had a
son, Antipater,
who compassed
her death be-
because she
loved his brother
better than she
loved him.
With disordered
garments and
face bedewed
with tears, she
begged in vain
for mercy.
He was as
revengeful and
cruel as his
father. No
good branch
springs from
cruel blood.
But al for nouht; he herde hir neueradeel:
He was to hire, surmountyng al mesure,
Lik his fadir vengable & cruel.
I trowe it was youe hym of nature;
[p.
3032
3036
3040
3044
3048
3052
245]
3056
3025. nat] na H. 3027. Roanes H, R 3.
3036. asl owi. J — this] the R, H 5. 3046. sofft & white H.
3047. hlij off hir R. 3048. at] at the R.
B K. I v] The FaU of Antipater and his Brother Alexander 557
For bi record of kynde & eek scripture,
Seeld or neuer no braunche that is good
Spryngeth of custum out of cruel blood.
Of hir deth[e] cause ther was non other, 3060
That Antipater slouh his mooder deere,
But for she loued Alisaundre his* brother
Bettir than hym, the cronicle doth us lere.
Which Alisaundre, yif ye list to heere, 3064
Hadde in his socour, I fynde be writyng,
Demetrius, that was of Asie kyng.
Thesalonices was in this while ded
Bi Antipater, [s]he most infortunat,
Bathed in hir blood, hir sides wer maad red,
Withoute compassioun of hir hih estat.
And hir too sonis lyuyng at debat.
Til Lysymachus, that prefect was of Trace, 3072
Them reconsiled ech to othirs grace.
Whan Demetrius knew of ther accord, —
God wot the sothe, he nothyng was fayn;
But bi his fraude, the stori berth record, 3076
That Alisaundre maliciousli was slayn.
This while Antipater stondj-ng in noun certeyn.
Til he be sleihte of Lysymacus
Was moordred aftir, the stori tellith thus. 3080
To write the processe and the maner howh
That Lysimachus bi fraudulent werkyng
His sone in lawe Antipater thus slouh, —
Fals couetise was cause of al this thyng;
And Demetrius took on h^-m to be kyng
Of Macedoyne, remembrid tyme & date.
Whan bothe brethre wer passed into fate.
Duryng this moordre & al this mprtal strifF,
In this processe lik as it is founde.
Of Antipater Erudice the wiff,
Douhtir of Seleuchus, was in cheynys bounde.
Cast in prisoun dirk, hidous & profounde;
And for a while I leue hir ther soiourne.
And to Demetrius I will ageyn retoume.
Alexander,
Antipater's
brother, was
rescued by
Demetrius, a:
Asian king;
and after
Lysimachus,
prefect of
Thrace, had
,_jCQ reconciled the
3°^ two brothers.
Demetrius by
his fraud caused
Alexander to be
slain, and
afterwards
Antipater was
murdered by
Lysimachus.
Demetrius then
became king of
Macedonia.
3084
'>nQa During this
i°°° time Eurydice,
Antipater's
wife, was in
prison, where
rU let her
remain, and
return to
3092 Demetrius,
3058. SeeldenR. 3062. his] hir B. 3068. she]hej, R,H.
3078. This] That R — no certej-n R 3, P.
3086. Macedonye R. 3087. into] onto R.
558
Two PrefectSj Peucestas and Amyntas []bk. iv
against whom
Ptolemy,
Seleucus,
Lysimachus and
King Pyrrhus
of Epirus
formed a league.
They deprived
him of his
kingdom and
put him in
prison, and, so
far as I know,
he never
appeared again.
Which made hymsilf[e] to be crownld kyng
Of Macedoyne, thoruh his gret puissaunce. 3096
But to destroie his purpos in werkyng,
Ther wer thre princis notable in substauwce,
Confederat & of oon alliauwce,
Echon assentid, for short conclusioun, 3100
To brynge Demetrius to destrucciouw.
Oon the firste was worthi Tholome,
Kyng of Egipt, in armis ful famous.
Othir tweyne, the stori ye may see, 3104
Callid Seleuchus, & next Lysymachus,
And of Cipre kam the kyng Pirthus,
Lord of [the] prouynce; & as it is eek fouwde,
Thei made hem strong Demetry to cowfounde. 3108
Shortli to telle, with ther apparailles,
Of Macedoyne thei dede hym first depriue;
Cam upon hym with foure strong batailles,
That he was neuer so ouer-set his lyue: 3112
Take of Lisymachus, the stori doth descryue,
Cheyned in prisouw, of his lifF in doute,
For I nat fynde that euer he issed oute.
[Off the too prefectys/ Penestes and Amantas.]
Peucestas of
Babylon and
Amyntas of
Bactria
NEXT in ordre Penestes dede appeere,
Whilom prefect of grete Babilown;
And -with hym cam Amyntas* eek ifeere,
Another prefect, as maad is menciouw.
Which Bactrie* hadde in his possessiouw,*
A gret prouynce youe hym bi iugement,
Mid of Asia toward the Occident.
tTe?r wor^thini°/Thes said[e] tweyne, for ther worthynesse
to watch over ^^d fot thct manhod in actis marcial,
the safety of . i • th- i •
Alexander the Assigned wcm bi dilHgent bisynesse
To waite and keepe in especiall
3116
3120
3124
Great.
3101. Demetry H.
3106. Cipre] Epirus P — the] om. H — Pirrhus P.
3107. &]offi. J, P. 3108. Demetrius P.
3 1 16. Peucestes P.
3 1 18. Amyntas] Amantas B, R, J.
3120. Bactrie is spelled Battrie in B, R, H, J, the c formed like t.
— possessioun] suspecioun B, R, J — Bactrie] the Bactrians P.
3123. ther] the R.
^ MS. J. leaf 100 recto.
BK. iv] SandrocottuSy another Tyrant of low Birth
Vpon the mageste in his estat roiall
Of Alisaundre, for trust as chaumbirleyns, 3128
Ageyn thassaut & dreed of al foreyns.
AfFtir whos deth, for synguler guerdoun
Made prefectis bothe thei wer in deede,
As ye han herd; the ton in Babilon, 3132
The tother of Bactrie, the stori ye may reede.
Yit in quiete thei myhte hem nat posseede,
For Seleuchus gan a werre ageyn [hem] make.
That thei wer fayn ther lordshipis to forsake. 3136
SS9
Made prefect*
after bis death,
they were
warred on by
Seleucus and
lost their
provinces.
[How Sandrodoctu5 bom of lowe degre cherisshed
robboio's & theuys.] ^
OTHER prefectis ther wem also I fynde, [p. 246] Sim'pTS^s
Which heeld the peeple \n ful gr<rt s<rmage, Th^/fS^pI"^,!
In Macedoyne & in outher Ynde, Sandrocottus,
Til Sandrodoctus, a man of louh lynage, 3140 Wrth, who
Caste he wolde redressen ther outrage,
Of entent poore peeple to restore
To ther fraunchises, that pleyned on hem sore.*
Sandrodoctus, auctowr of this werkyng,
Behihte the peeple thoruhout al contres.
Whan he be sleihte was c[o]rownid kyng,
Them to restore to ther libertes.
But whan he hadde resceyued thes dignites,
Al his behestis, maad with a fair visage,
Turned, as thei fond, to thraldam & seruage.
Thus whan a wrech is set in hih estat.
Or a begger brouht up to dignite,
Ther is non so proud[e], pompous nor elat,
Non so vengable nor ful of cruelte.
Void of discrecioun, mercy & pite;
For cherlissh blood seelde doth recure
To be gentil be weie of his nature.
became
It A A king by craft.
0^44 promised to
restore them
their freedom.
But he did
not keep his
word.
3148
No one is so
proud and full
, j-2 of cruelty as a
■* "^ beggar set in
high estate.
3156
3133. of] in P.
3135. a] om. H, R 3, P, H 5. 3136. lordshipp H.
3137. wer ther also R.
3140. Sandrocottus P. 3143. on he so sore B.
3145. thoruhout] thoruh R — al] l)e H, of al P.
3146. corownid] crownid MSS. except H 5 corownyd.
3152. up] om. H, R 3. 3156. shurlych H 5.
^ MS. J. leaf 100 verso.
S6o The Career of Sandrocottus []bk. iv
Surf maT feign He may dissymule & for a tyme feyne,
fike'a Yerpe"nt Couwtirfcte with a fair visage,
wm"tb"^"'^* ^^^ of oon hood[e] shewe facis tweyne, 3160
the end. Conttari of hertc, double of his langage,
Stille of his port, smothe of his passage,
Vnder flour[e]s lik a serpent dare.
Til he may stynge; & thaw he wil nat spare. 3164
haSsX"/ And euer lik of his condiciouws
crifS'Yii ^"^ ^^^ Sandrodoctus, set up in hih estat;
manner of Vcxed peeples, ttoubled regeouws,
disturbances. „ . '^ '^ .'^ '
bet Cites & touMS at gret debat: 3168
Whos gouernauwce was infortunat,
As it was seyn & fouwde at al[le] preues,
Cherisshed no man but robbowrs & fals theuys.
"e^lngVrough ^nd to declare how he cauhte hardynesse 3172
a marvel. ^j^j occasiouw peepHs to gouemc,
Bi a pronostik, which I shal expr^sse,
Riht merueilous & vnkouth to discerne,
Which was this, as I shal telle as yerne, 3176
Riht wonderful & vnkouth for to heere;
And it was this, yif ye list to lere:
fndircaued" °^ Thet was a man callid Procatales,
fret^a^fe" Bom in Ynde, which of his lyuyng 3180
against King Was wonder poore, cam but seelde in pres,
Venandrus, who -p, iiii -t* i
sought to JbJecause he hadde trespacid m o thyng
death.™ '^° Ageyn Venandrus, that was that tyme ky«g,
Comauwdyng to sleen* hym anon riht; 3184
But he escaped, the stori seith be fliht.
feet heiped'^'^ God hadde youe hym of [his] feet suyftnesse,
and whii" he''^' ^^ mcue whetof he saued hym fro dauwgeer,
slept in his Thoruh long trauaile fill in werynesse, 3188
beside a well, And [to] tefresshe hym, beside a welle cleer
and licked the He lay slepyug, that face & al his cheer
sweat from t--v J f ^ 1 f l_ '
his face. L/topped 01 soot; a ieoun cam rorbi,
Likked his face, as seith the stori. 3192
I^olTe.^'he With which affray the man anon awook,
wa" To"th^'' And sodenli left up his visage;
forest without The leouw ros, sofftli his weie took
domg him any t^ j i /■ i j i j
harm. 1 owatd the rorest, dede hym no damage, 3196
3165. euer] even H. 3170. at] in R. 3 171. fals] om. R.
3179. Pracatales P. 3180. of] in H.
3184. sleen] fleen B, R, flen J. 3185. fliht] sleiht R.
3186. his]om. R. 3189. to]om. R. 3193. awook] he woke R.
BK. IV]
The Career of Sandrocotius
S6i
Sandrocottus
3200 jieard this story
and thought
that since a
royal lion could
lick the face of
a rustic,
3204
3208
3212
Forgat his felnesse and his cruel rage.
Of which pronostik gan thoccasioun
Wherof Sandrodoctus took an oppynyoun,
Caste and thouhte in his fantasie,
Sithe that the leoun is beeste most roiall,
Which nat disdeyned hymsilfF[e] to applie
To likke the face of a man rurall,
In his nature to shewe hym bestiall, —
He dempte as weel that it was sittyng
To take on hym thestat to be a kyng.
His oppynyoun of resoun was riht nouht;
For wher the leoun lefFt his cruelte,
He in contrary wex proud in hert & thouht,
Void of merci, bareyn of pite.
For whan that he was set in dignite,
Brouht from a wrech to domynacioun,
Ageyn nature he pleyed the leoun.
Sumwhile* a leoun forgeteth his* felnesse,
Wher-as the wolfFwil natureli deuoure;
So roial blood hath routhe, of gentilesse,
On poore pleyntifFs to helpe hem & socoure,
Wher-as a tiraunt of nature doth laboure,
Whan he hath poweer, cachchyng auauntage
To robbe [his] subiectis & spoille hem be pillage.
Sandrodoctus, thus born of low kynreede, [p.
In hih estat bi Fortune whan he stood,
Gan make hym strong & vengable in deede:
With noumbre of robbowrs, furious and wood,
Cast hym destroie al the gentil blood
That was in Ynde, & bi his ordynaunce
Slen al ther prefectis that hadde gouernaunce.
And with the comouns whan he was maad strong, 3228 ^w-id ei^^ha°nt.
And gan the maner of ther deth deuise,
Lik a fals tiraunt, al-thouh he dede wrong
Ageyn his lordis whan he gan arise.
An olifaunt cam in ful unkouth wise,
Hym obeiede, which was a gret[e] wonder,
Whan ther batailes wer nat ferre assonder.
there was no
reason why he,
another poor
man, should not
become king.
Only instead of
being merciful
and gentle, he
was proud and
cruel.
Sometimes a
lion forgets to
be fierce, but
wolves and
2216 tyrants are
always
3220
247]
3224
Sandrocottus
became strong
with the help
of robbers and
the common
people.
that, strange
to say,
obeyed him like
a tame beast.
3232
3198. began^ H. 3205. zs]om.].
3210. & bareyn H, R 3.
3214. Sumwhile] Sumtyme B, R — his] al B, J, P, as R.
3216. of] on R, J, H, P, & R 3. 3223. vengeably H.
3231. gan] did H. 3232. unkouth] huwible H.
5^2 The Story of Seleucus []bk. iv
Sec« aid Thouh he was wilde, the stori seith the same,
oriidia!"""^ Sandrodoctus leep upon his side, 3236
And on his bak, as on a beeste tame.
Toward the bataile anon he gan to ride.
Was ther capteyn that day & ther guide.
With his robbours, as it is maad[e] mynde, 3240
Slouh al the prefectis & gentil blood of Ynde.
[How Seleuchus the mighty prince was slayn bi
the grete Tholome kjmg of Egipt.] ^
Sand'rocottuB. ^"T^HAN Cam Selcuchus to Bochflj- cowpleinywg,
of aShu". -■- A mihti prince & a ful manh kniht,
appeared Soue of Antiochus, the grete famowj kywg. xiu.
complaining to __,, ..j-f-ii (• r, - Jo J^'fr*
Bochas. He Which* beleucus, tor wisdam & for myht,
was a favourite xtt r i ' ai- i • m
of Alexander VVas most tauoured m Alisaundns siht,
Queenrodice, Bom of a pHncesse, the cronicle ye may seen,
Cald Laoudice the grete famous queen. 3248
rh'e°ntght"'8he The berthc of hym strauwge & merueillous:
Ap'Sio'^^lve^'her ^^^ ^^^ moodet upon the same niht
a ring That she conceyued drempte & thouhte thus.
As it semed pleynli in hir siht, 3252
Of gret Appollo, the heuenli god most briht.
How she the tyme of hir conceyuyng
Resceyued that niht of gold a riche ryng.
i%Su8 stone In which[e] ryng was set a precious stoon, 3256
with an anchor Youe vnto hir for a gret guerdoun,
engraved "on it^^ ., ,.,. ,
was set. Apollo Graue with an ankir, hir comauwdyng anon,
commanded her xrr* ii i •! Ti-
to give the Airtir the berthe withoute dilacioun,
chifdr * * To yiue the ryng, of hool afFecciouw, 3260
To Seleuchus, wherbi in especial!
He sholde excelle in actis marciall.
mo^rnbg! after ^he Same morwe aftir the child was born,
was Tom Withynwe hir bed was founde a riche ryng, 3264
the ring was With al the toknys rehersed heer-toforn,
found in her r^, , -^ ... . . .
bed, and she 1 he ankct graue, iik in eueri thyng.
safe keeping. °^ Which that the queen[e] took in hir keepyng,
And of entent[e] for his* auauntage, 3268
Kept it secre til he cam to age.
3236. upon] on H.
3238. anon he gan] he proudly gan H, R 3, H 5.
3245, 46 are transposed in B and R.
3245. Which] With B, J, For R.
3263. the] this H. 3268. his] hir B, H, J, R 3, H 5, her P.
3269. to] till H.
^ MS. J. leaf 100 recto.
BK. IV]
The Story of Selrucus
563
Sdeucus'
thigh.
When he be-
came of age he
won many lands
with the help
of thii ring
3280
^„Q, and conquered
3204 India and
many
kingdoms
of the Orient.
Anothir merueile befiU also withall : ^s'^^t'^''
This [childe] Seleuchus (which was a wonder thyng) ^^^^ *
Hadde enpreentid eek in especiall 3272 Lmprintoi on
Vpon his thih an anker & a ryng;
So hadde all, hi record of writyng,
Such carectis, the stori doth termyne,*
That aftir hym wer bor[e]n of that lyne, 3276
Whan Seleuchus, as maad is mencioun.
The tendre yeeres hadde of his age ronne.
And cam to yeeris of discrecioun,
He bi this r^ng ful many lond hath wonne.
Whos knihtli fame shon sheene as [a] sonne.
He weel auised, hardi [&] of gret myht,
Tyme of Alisandre holde Oon the beste kniht.
In werre and armes he his tyme hath spent;
Brouht al Ynde [on]to subieccioun.
Gat al the kyngdames nih of the orient,
Heeld hem longe in his pocessioun.
But heer, alas, Bochoj makth mencioun,
Al his victories, that dede in honour shyne.
With sodeyn chaung wer turned to ruyne.
For whan Seleuchus was most victorious,
Hadde al Inde conquered in substaunce,
Atween hym & kyng Lysymachus,
Of whom tofom is maad[e] remembraunce,
Began a werre & a gret distaunce.
And as thei mette with ther apparailles.
In a gret feeld ordeyned ther batailles.
On Lisymachus fill the disconfiture.
WherofF Seleuchus, glad in especiall,
Dempte his wynnyng cam nat of nature,
But bynfluence verray celestiall, —
Gan wexe proud in his estat roiall,
Nat supposyng in his victorious stall.
Of his myscheeuys that sholde aftir fall.
3288
3292
But a sadden
change turned
all to ruin,
when he went
to war against
Lysimachus.
3296
He was
victorious at
first, and
thought in his
3300 pride that no
one could
defeat him,
3304
3271. childe] om. R, P.
3275. termyne] determj-ne B, R, P.
3278. age ronne] yers Ironne H.
3281. a]om. R,J, P, t)eR 3.
3282. &] om. R, J, P, R 3. 3285. unto] to R, P.
3289. that] Jje H. 3290. to] onto R.
33CX). nature] aventur; H, auenture P, H 5, auentur R 3.
S64
The Treachery of Ceraunus to Arsinoe []bk. iv
s^^n^afterwaTds FoF as the processc dcclareth onto vs, [p. 248]
How of Egipt the grete Tholome,
Brother-In-lawe to Lysymachus,
Fill on Seleuchus bi ful gret cruelte, 3308
Slouh hym at myscheeff, the stori ye may see.
Loste his HfF, as maad is menciouw,
In Macedoyne, the myhti regiouw.
And it is knowe of antiquite 3312
Bi rehersaile of these olde auctowrs,
That this forseid gret[e] Tholome
Was Talisauwdre oon of thenheritowrs,
Kyng of Egipt, ther regnyng in his floors. 3316
AfFtir whos name, descendyng dou« be grees,
Wer alle the kynges callid Tholomes.
As I fynde, touchyng his lynage,
Bi procreaciouw he hadde childre thre: 3320
The firste of hem, to speke in pleyn langage,
Inamed was Ceramyus Tholome,
Next Philadelphus, a douhtir Arcynoe,
That weddid was birfadres consentyng 3324
To Lisymachus of Macedoyne kyng.
slain by
Ptolemy,
Lysimachus'
brother-in-law
Ptolemy was
one of the
heirs of
Alexander and
the founder of
the Ptolemaic
dynasty.
He had three
children,
Ceraunus,
Philadelphus
and Arsinoe.
[[How the too sonys of queen Arcsmoe were bi ther
moders brother traitoursly slayn and she exiled.]] ^
AND thus remembred in tookes [that been] olde,
Deth of Seleuchus wrouht bi Tholome,
Vnwarli slayn, toforn as I haue told, 3328
Next in ordre cam Arsynoe
To lohn Bochas bi gret aduersite,
AI with teres bedewed hir visage,
And gan cowpleyne the constreynt of hir rage. 3332
Sn\Lysima°husThis mihti queen, this said Arsynoe,
and Philip,
Arsinoe then
came before
Bochas, her
face wet with
tears, com-
plaining her
sorrows.
Hadde sonis tweyne ful famous of renoun:
The ton Lysymachus, excellyng of beute,
The tothir Phelipp, as maad is menciouw.
And al hir ioie and delectacioun,
Hir worldli blisse — ther is no mor to seyne —
Was hooli set upon thes childre tweyne.
3336
3320. children R. 3322. Cytomyus H.
3226. thus] om. H, R 3 — in] bi R — that been] om. R, J, P, H 5.
MS. J. leaf loi recto.
BK. iv] The Treachery of Ceraunus to Arsinoe
565
For bi thoccasiouw of ther gret faimesse,
Men delited gretli them to see,
Namli women, the stori doth expresse;
And ther mooder, this queen Arsynoe,
Stood in gret hope that thei sholde bee
Mihti kyngis bi iust successioun.
In Macedoyne the myhti regioun,
Onli be title of ther fadres riht.
Which to hir herte gaf ful gret gladnesse,
For she dempte that non other wiht
To succeede sholde ha[ue] non interesse;
But Fortune, the blynde fals goddesse,
Disposed so for thes* childre tweyne.
That non of them ther purpos sholde atteyne.
For whan ther fader Lisymachus was slayn,
The saide queen callid Arsynoe,
To saue hir lyiF koude non othir gayn,
But with hir sonis feerfulli to flee
Into Cassandre, a myhti strong cite,
Onli for dreed of oon Antigonus
Which them pursued, the stori tellith us.*
But the brother of queen Arsynoe,
Callid Ceramius rescued hir partie
Geyn Antigonus, ye may the stori see;
Yit in his herte he hadde gret en vie,
Al-be that thei wer nih of his allie.
That hire too sonis sholde kyngis bee
Of Macedoyne, & regne in that contre.
For he was set onli of couetise
To be crowned in Macedoyne kyng;
And of fals* tresoun, the stori doth deuise.
Them to deceyue, this was his werkyng:
First to the queen ful humbeli knelyng
He made promys vnder gret surete,
In Macedoyne she sholde crownid be.
And hir childre, so fair of ther visage,
Sholde be keped* vndir gouernaunce
Vnto tyme that thei kam to age.
whom she
334° hoped would
succeed to the
throne of
Macedonia,
3344
taklog great
pleasure in
3348 ^' thought.
3352
But when their
father was
killed, Arsinoe
fled with her
335^ two sons from
one Antigonus,
who pursued
them to
Cassandreia,
3360
where they
were rescued by
Ceraunus,
3364
3368
3372
3376
3346. the] t>at M. 3350. enteresse R. 3351. the] ^at H.
3352. thes] ther B, R. 3357. ferfull H. 3358. Cassandria P.
3360. us] thus B, R, J, R 3. 3362. Ceraunus P — hir] his H.
3363. \,t story ye may H. 3370. fals] his fals B, R, J.
3374. she] he R. 3376. keped] kept B.
who resolved
to be king of
Macedon him-
self, and slyly
promised
Arsinoe that
she should be
crowned queen.
adv-ising her
to keep her
children in
tutelage until
they became of
age.
566 The Treachery of Ceraunus to Arsinoe [bk. iv
And for to put hir in mor assurauwce,
Ceramyus swoor (God yiue hym sori chaunce!)
He purposed, for al his fals werkyngis, 3380
To crowne hir queen & make hir sones ky^iges.
iif tTe°godf'''* Took alle the goddis ther onto witnesse
marr^\eT°and "^"^ swoor ageyn[e], with a pleyn visage,
make her his Onto the Quen, of fraudc & doubilnesse, 3384
queen, ^j. ^ ^ X, \,- • '
Jtiis purpos was to haue hir m manage,
Crowne hir queen to hir gret auauwtage.
Thus was he* sworn, althouh he was hir brother;
Yit in herte God wot he thouhte another. 3388
^he aUower""^'Vnder colour of this assurauwce [p. 249]
him to enter g}^g \qq^ hym entre Cassandre the cite,
the city, and -' '
met him with Cam ageyn hym to doon hym mor plesaunce
With al hir lordis of hih & louh degre, 3392
Made the streetis hangid for to bee
With clothes of gold, & in solempne wise
To alle ther godis dede sacrefise.
w"e*ro°aT"^ And thus he was resceyued solempneli; 3396
weiIt"be{or'i ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ halwed & holde festyual:
her down the The qucen for ioie ordeyned richeli
principal street j-y. • . ~ . . ,
to receive their Hir too sonis, that wcte SO taire in ai,
unce; 'jp^ j^^ crownid with crownes ful roiall, 3400
Goon afForn hire in the maister streete
Gloriousli ther vnkle for to meete.
a°wJ^diV face With felenous herte vnder a freendli face
them™ dthou h This Ceramyus, roote of al tresouw, 3404
purposing their Gan his cosyns benigneli enbrace,
destruction. -y "^ i • r i 11 •
liym purposyng bi rais collusiouw
To proceede to ther destrucciouw.
And fynali, firste he dide his peyne 3408
The queen texile and slen hir childre tweyne.
olfeen'to'be^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ttesoun was brouht to a preefF,
exiled, meaning Whaw the queeu apparceyued his falsnesse
to murder her . , i i • • i i i i rr*
sons; but she And sauh hir sonis brouht to such myscheeff, 341a
saw what he p,. . . , ... i i-
intended and bhe coniuted hym in hir mortal distresse
t^bc "" To haue pite of natural gentilesse,
merciful. Spate his cosyns, afForn hym wher thei stood,
Of roial merci, so nih born of his blood. 3416
3387. was hel he was B, R, J, R 3, H 5, P.
3396. solemply R. 341 1. apparceyuedj parceyued H.
BK. iv] The Treachery of Ceraunus to Arsinoe
567
And with a cri passyug lamentable
She fill affom hym swownyng onto grounde,
Lik as she hadde be verraili coupable,
Seyng hir sonis bleedyng witi? many wounde. 3420
But al for nouht; ther was no merci founde.
For with* ther blood (this stori is nat feyned)
Hir gamement was doolfuUi disteyned.
Hir faire face was soiled with ordure,
Hir goldene her was al to-torn & rent.
And lik a thrall this woful creature
With mortal weepyng hadde hir sihte blent.
And aftir that, I fynde how she was sent
To burie hir childre, for ther was no space.
Into an ile callid Sammotrace.
Is any stori, whiche maketh mencioun
That a princesse of so hih degre 3432
Fond so gret cause of lamentacioun ?
She beyng douhtir to gret Tholome, —
Hir childre slayn be vengable cruelte,
And to beholde the deth most dolerous 3436
Of hir husbonde callid Lysymachus.
She aftir banshed in exil made hir eende,
Wit^ sorewful cowpleynt hir lyff thus drawe along,
Til into fate hir spent dede weende, 3440
It is no dreed hir peynes wer ful strong.
And yif I sholde rehersen al the wrong
That she sufFred, it sholde greeue sore,
Therfor of hir now I write no more. 3444
and fell to the
gToand in *.
«woon before
him.
_ ... But all without
3424 avail. The
blood of her
sons stained
her garments, _
her golden hair
was torn, and
she went blind
3428 for weeping.
She buried her
sons in
Samothrace.
Is there any
story of a
princess of
such high
degree who
suffered so
much?
Afterwards she
died in exile.
It would he
too painful to
rehearse all
her wrongs.
Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie sheweth an apparence
And a liknesse of feithful assuravnce,
Texite men to yiue fals credence
Vnto Fortunys froward variaunce. 3448
Which cast hir baitis & anglis of plesaunce.
An hook hid vndir of vengable cruelte.
As this chapitle [hath] put in remembraunce
Of Lysymachus & of Arsynoe. 3452
This tragedy
has to do with
the variance of
Fortune.
3420. many a H. 3422. with] which B
3431. whiche] which ^at H, R 3. 3437.
3438. bansshed H, R.
3447. Texite] execute H. 3451. hath] om. R.
3423
callid]
. garment H.
om. R.
568 An Envoy on the Variance of Fortune [bk. iv
Jreltl/'evldencels thcF any grcttcr euldence
vLiTsTtudesthan^f wo'^^^^i troublc of woddH constauwcc,
suddenf"""^ Than seen princis from ther magnificence
brought to ruin. And from thcF myhti roial [hih] puissaunce 3456
Vnwarll brouht bi Fortune to myschauwce,
And ouerwhelmyd from ther tranquillite?
See}) heer a merowr ful notable in substaunce
Of Lisymachus & queen Arsynoe. 3460
Jnchoi"* ^"'^ The ryng, the anker of gret excellence
Sdeucus by Youe to Seleuchus for marcial suffisauwce,
Apollo were Whatt Appollo be hcucnli influence
assurance; and List with his mooder make his alliauwce, 3464
Lysimrchus and Sent hym thes reliques of synguler aqueyntauwce,
Arsinoe! 'p^ sctte his manhod in mor surete;
But in al such quaueryng perseueraunce,*
Thynk on Lysymachus & on Arsynoe ! 3468
^alt uea^sures The vnkout[h] tresours, the gold nor the dis-
nor\hV"''^''"' pence [p. 250]
regions of those Of hem that han this world in gouernauwce,
who govern -nt i i i • i i •
this world JNor al the subiectes, up rekned m sentence,
render them tvt i i • i i i •
secure against INot al the regiouws vnder ther obeissauwce, 3472
Princis, princessis, with al ther attendaunce,
May ageyn Fortune yiue hem no Hberte;
Who nat knoweth hir vnseur geri chaunce,
Thynk on Lysymacus & on Arsynoe. 3476
Fortu
ne.
Hir childre and she slayn bi violence
Arsinoe and her
children were
Ceraunus (bad ^^ Ceramyus (God yiue hym sori chauwce !)
luck to him!) That bi fals colour dide hir reuerence
who pretended . •• ■•. , .
friendship for And prctcndid a maner obseruauwce, 3480
^^' The tresou« cloos of venymous purueiauwce,
Purposed afforn toutraie hem all[e] thre:
The childre slayn, which knewe no cheuisaunce,
The mooder exiled, callid Arsynoe. 3484
dl° not^bi?om; Noble Princis, beeth war of hih prudence,
onrrnother°o? ^mong your-silf that ther be no distauwce,
hide your Hideth no rancour of hatful violence
rancour under a xt ,. r i i i i i-
curtain of Yndit a courtyu or double daliauwce; 3488
Remember this Lik yout hcrte shcwe out yowr contenaunce,
L/sTmlchus Void of dissymulyng &* duplicite,
and Arsinoe.
3456. hih] om. R. 3460. queen] of R. 3464. make his]
maken H. 3467. perseueraunce] aqueyntaunce B, R, J.
3468. 2nd on] off R, om. J. 3472- ther] om.R.
3476. 2nd on] om. J, P. 3490. &]&ofB.
BK. iv] How Ceraunus zoos slain by the Gauls
Wisly weieth this chapltle in balaunce,
OflF Lisymachus and queen Arsynoe. 3492
569
^ Explicit.
[How Ceramius of Macedony k^ng that moordred
his cosyns was slayn in bataile bi them [of]
Fraunce.3 ^
THE noble poete John Bochaj, In his book
Procedyng foorth, compleyneth of pite,
WitZ? quaky[n]g hand whan he his penne took
And gan to write the woful destyne,
As ye han herd, of queen Arsynoe,
And how Ceramius, the stori maketh mynde,
Was to hir fals, traitot^r & vnkynde.
Of whos tresoun is maad a gret processe,
And how he aftir was slayn in bataille,
Punshed bi vengaunce for his gret falsnesse,
Lik as his stori maketh rehersaille.
Which to remembre I cast me nat to faille,
Folwyng myn auctour & proceede in writyng,
How Ceramyus was slayn whan he was kyng.
For whil that he bi his fals werkyng,
In Macedoyne hadde gouemaile,
Thre hundred thousand acountid be reknyng*
Wente out of Fraunce to conquere in Itaille;
The boost, departed in many strong bataille.
Gat bi conquest thoruh ther hih renoun
Ful many prouynce & many regioun.
And as thei rood thoruh many gret contre, —
This peeple of Gaule in steel armyd cleen,* —
Thei foundid castellis & many strong cite:
Toward Rome thei bilt Milan & Sene,
Vpon T[h]alpies ther armowr shon ful sheene; ■
And sum of them up to Rome wente
Be verray force, and the cite brente.
As John
Bochas
proceeded forth
in bis book,
his hand
trembled
3496 when he
wTote the sad
story of Queen
Arsinoe.
-.Q_ Ceraunus was
J^ afterwards
slain in battle
3504
by the Gauls,
after they had
S^o8 conquered
"^-' Italy
3512
and built
Milan and
Sienna.
Their armour
3516 gleamed on
the Alps; and
some of them
burnt Rome,
and others
went up the
.-Egean Sea to
,---» Pavonia.
3509. reknyng] writyng B, R, J, P.
3510. in] om. R. 3514. contrees H.
3515. cleen] briht B, sheene R, J.
3516. Citees H.
* MS. J. leaf 102 recto.
570 How Ceraunus was slain by the Gauls [bk. iv
Sumwe partid up to the Grekissh Se,
Hadde a custum to chese ther duellyng place
Bi augurie, as briddes dede flee;
Folwyng ther fliht[e], thei gan aftir trace, 3524
Holdyng ther way, wztZ^ynwe a Htil space.
With myhti hand, the book doth specefie,
Thei cam tacontre callid Pauonye.
^X'^o/Veat This folk of Gaule, which is callid France, 3528
foiiowmg'"'^' To conquere londis put hemsilfF in pres,
«Ym''ie^ As most notable peeple of puissaunce,
Folwyng thexauwple of ther knihtli encres
In ther ridyng, of worthi Hercules, 3532
Which was worsheped in actis marcial
Lik as a god, and callid inmortal.
Sfn/°^untrSs. Thoruh grace of Fortune in ther cheualries
^me"to''^^ Conquered contres, alway foorth ridyng, 3536
Macedonia, ThemsilfF dcpartyng in dyuers cumpanyes, —
Who them withstood thei consumed be brenwyng.
Cam to Macedoyne wher Cerawm was kyng;
Of presuwpcioun weenyng it sholde auaile, 3540
Out of ordynauwce he mette hem in bataile.
fou"ht"them This Ceramius of outrage & of pride
aUhou h"the Dempte hym able to meete vfith hem of France;
offered to treat But for, he was thotuh moordrc an homycide, x'^aa
with him for ,, , , , , . -^ ' '^^^^
peace. He iakked grace & poweer m substauwce.
Yit thei off Gaule, bi prudent gou^rnauwce,
OfFred onto hym, thouh he was rek[e]les.
With Macedonoys for to trete of pes. 3548
Sf preemption But of* prcsumpcioun & malencolie [p. 251]
cut offlnT^ Ageyn his enmyes he the feeld hath take,
set on a stake. And disconfited anon was his partie:
His men gan fleen, & ha[ue] ther lord forsake; 3552
His hed smet off and set upon a stake.
But al his myscheefF was to lite in deede
To recompense his fraude & his falsheede.
punishment" "° Thcr is no pcync ageyn so gret offense 3556
mimTeV' ^°^ ^^^ ^^ deuised in no book that men reede,
Equiualent moordre to recompence,
3521. to] thoruh H, R 3, thrugh H 5.
3523, 24 are transposed in B; correction indicated b^ scribe,
3534. Immortal H. 3538. thei] the R — be] yittb H, H J.
3539- Ceraunus P. 3544- an] & R.
3S49- of] for B, J, R. 3558. Equyualence R.
BK. iv] The Defeat and Death of Belgius 571
Dull to punshe so outraious a deede,
Of hym that made yonge childre bleede, 3560
As dede Ceraum, which of fals couetise
His cosyns slouh, as ye han herd deuise.
To thynke on moordre, it is to foul a thyng, f^i'a^'Sjng,
To God and man hatful & terrible: 3564 t^lj^cod
The infernal fraude, the deuelissh compassyng c^'LS*^"
To ech creature of nature is odible, Ceraunus,
1TT1 'I 1 • • -It your name shall
Which to redresse is an impossible. no longer biot
O cursid Ceram, I leue thi stori heere, 3568 ™^ ^'*^'
Thi name no more shal blotte my papeere!
[How the prynce Belgius was disconfited and
brouht vnto nought.] ^
AFFTIR this tiraunt, as ye ha[ue] herd \te cas, cSfunus, a
Slayn in bataile, this traitowr odious, Bd^s""*^
Anon in ordre cam to lohn Bochas 3572 appeared.
A, . . ll-J T> 1 • complaining
myhti pnnce cailid Belgius, with a furious
■pv If 1 -^1 r C ' and distorted
Dedli pale, with race tunous, face his
Which compleynyd, among this woful pres, brE^ke"""
His disconfiture doon be duk* Sostenes. 3576 Sosthenes.
This sodeyn myscheef greued his herte sore; Sirf<^tle°
For al the folk that wer in his bataille * grieved him
sorely. rJochis
Wer put to fliht[e], Bochas writ no more "ys no more
Of his knihthod nor of his apparaille, 3580 than that
Sauf onli this; he maketh rehersaille, a*chTrfcaptain
Of the Frensshe host, he tellith in certeyn, °|^f ^o°do
How he was chose for a cheeflF capteyn, noUce"^ "^^
Sosthenes,
And how he cam into the riche lond 3584 "^'« ^^^ ^=^^
Of Macedoyne with his peeple of Fraunce, by Brennus.
Til Sostenes the duk, with myhti bond,
Discounfited hym, brouht hym to myschaunce.
Of whom I fynde non other remembraunce, 3588
Saue whan he wende ta be* most glorious,
He was outraied bi force of Brennyus.
3562. han] om. R. 3567. Inpossible R.
3576. duk] queen B, R — Sosthenes P.
3585. his3 this H, R 3.
3589. ta be] taue be B, R 3, H 5, tauethe R, to haue ben P, taue
ben J.
3590. Brennus P.
* MS. J. leaf 102 verso.
572
The Fate of Brennus, who invaded Greece []bk. iv
Brennus, king
of Sens, was a
conqueror who
spared neither
peoples nor
gods, robbing
all.
The Greeks
used to go to
the temple of
Apollo at
Delphi to
consult the
oracle,
where they had
answer given
them by a
spirit of false
deception.
Brennus had
no desire to
worship the
gods of Greece;
he only wanted
to rob them of
their treasures.
He promised to
share the
pillage with his
men
[How Duk Brennyus delityng to robbe & spoile
ended.] ^
THIS Brennyus, ful knihtli in werkyng,
Which hi conquest gat many gr<ft cite, 3592
And, as I reede, of Sens he was kyng,
Dispoilled regiouws & many gret contre,
Robbed peeples of hih & low degre,
Spared no goddis, but be violence 3596
Took ther tresours; dede hem no reuerence.
Ther was a temple gret and merueilous
Bilt on a roche and on an hill off ston.
Sacred TappoUo callid Delphicus, — 3600
In al Grece so gret a god was non.
And ofFte sithe the peeple wolde gon
Vp to a theatre which that stood withoute,
To haue ansuere of that thei stood in doute. 3604
Ther trust, ther hope was to that god applied,
Hauyng to hym synguler afFecciouw,
As thouh he myhte haue holpe & magnefied
And doon to hem gret consolacioun; 3608
For bi a sperit of fals decepcioun
He gaff answere of sondri questiouns
To folk that cam fro dyuers regiouws.
Kyng Brennyus hadde no fantasie, 3612
In ther templis aftir ther paynym guise
Nouther to worshepe nor to magnefie
Ther Grekissh goddis, to doon hem sacrefise;
For in his herte he gan hem to despise, 3616
Cauhte a ioie with al his fals robbot^rs
Them to despoile & robbe of ther tresowrs.
Behihte his men, & seid in pleyn langage.
That his desir and his entencioun 3620
Was to be boti with them of such pillage
As goddis hadde in ther pocessioun.
And parte with hem for synguler guerdoun
3592. cite] cure R.
3593. Sens] Dens R, dens J — of Sens] since P — was] was
made H, P.
3594. 95 are transposed in H. 3595- peeple J, people P.
3596. be] om. R
3618. ther] the R.
3621. boti] bootyng R 3, botyng H 5, boting P.
1 MS. J. leaf 102 verso.
BK. iv] Tbg Defeat of Brennus at Delphi 573
For ther labour & ther gret trauaill^s 3624
That thei had hadde with hym in his batailles.
He gafF his peeple a maner hardynesse, J^pirtSms?
Made hem tniste in gret multitude, d°efp"iSd"the"'^
Hauyng despiht of thynnocent symplesse 3628 Delphian
. , !• ij pnests because
Of his enmyes, because thei wer but rude. they were rude
I meene tho folk, shortli to conclude, *° *^^ ''
Which hadde in keepyng the ieweles precious
Of gret AppoUo callid Delphicus. 3632
The peeple also which was wtt^ Brennyus [p. 252] ^^^^
Hadde al the day dronke myhti wynes — TnTf^fe'^'to
To fille ther paunchis thei wer so desirous, — ^u^^ the hiu
,_, 1 • r 1 -11 ""^ assault tne
ihat thei forgat ther marcial doctrynes. 3636 temple;
Tascende the mounteyn feeble wer ther chynes,
Ther hedis toltir & ther brayn gan faille,
The temple alofFte to spoille it or tassaille.
In ther ascendyng be weies that thei ches, 3640 "ad '^L* ''"""'
Vpon the roche thei wer bete doun; chasubles,
T« • r 1 1 -irr • fought them
Preestis of the temple put hemsiliF m pres — bravely
Oon bar a standard, a-nother a gret penoun —
Clad in chesiples for hih deuocioun, 3644
And with ther other vnkouth apparailles,
Bothe on the roche & lowe in ther batailles.
The peeple of Brennyus* was incomparable, ^MT"u°m^K;
Spradde al the feeldis, the stori berth witnesse; 3648
But it is said of old & is no fable.
That no diffence is [in] dronk[e]nesse.
And wisdam failleth wher is gret excesse;
And in a feeld[e], pleynli to conclude, 3652
Victori alway stant nat in multitude.
For thei wer set, Bochaj- doth deuise, ^J ^7on*^'
Nat to knihthod but to fals outrage, knightly deeds
rr M 1111 1- • but on robbery.
lo spoiie and robbe be gredi couetise, 3656
And stufFe ther someres wit^ outraious pillage;
Furious rauyne hath brouht hem in a rage, —
And farweel knihthod & marcial noblesse
Wher couetise is ladi & maistresse! 3660
3637. wer] was H.
3638. toltir J, R, toltyr H 5, toltir {the r misformed) H — brayns
H, braynes R 3 — ganto R.
3643. another] ano H. 3647. Bremnyus B.
3651. wher] ther H. 3652. feeld] freende R.
3657. someres] om. R.
574 '^ke Disco7nfiture and Death of Brennus \jrk. iv
Brenlfus the Too myhtl dukis wcF With Brcnwyus,
fwo'othef Which that wer[en] cheefF of his couwsail.
leaders, Dukes Manus* the ton, the tothir Thesalorus,
h-undanus and xtti • ■, i • i i
Thessaionus. Which, as thci thouhtc to ther gret auail, 3664
Began a purpos, and it was disauail,
To robbe the temple, the contre & ech toun,
Which turnid aftir to ther confusiouw.
Strangles Thus auatice with stomak vnstauwchable 3668
L\'nyTwonhy H^*^^ strangUd the prowesse* of many worthi kniht;
knight and And couetisc, hir sustir vntretable,
turns nobility tti riMii rir
of heart into Hath ot hih noblesse tul ofte queynt the hht.
Wher Tantalus regneth, a leoun hath no myht: 3672
This to meene, hunger & couetise
TurneJ) al noblesse into cowardise.
For bi the couwsail of these dukes tweyne,
Brennyus sette al his oppynyouw; 3676
To spoille & robbe dede his besi peyne,
To pile the cites of al that regeoun.
But in this while, as maad is mencioun,
Mid ther batailles, Bochas doth me lere, 3680
The god Appollo & Pallas dede appeere.
of th'efi^S* Appollo first shewed his presence,
young and"'^*'^'^''^^^^' y^^S ^"^ ''"sti as any Sonne sheene,
lusty, armed Armed al in gold, and with gret violence ^684
all in gold, and ^ j i r i i r i • i
Diana, with r^ntred the reelcl[ej, as it was weel seene.
arrows, and And Diana kam with hir arwes keene,
giiueJ7nV° * ^^^ Mynerua in a briht haberiouw,
habergeon. Which in thcF komyng made a terrible soun. 3688
Str "bright^ The noise was herd[e] of ther briht armure,
th^cluirlnd^ Which made ther enmyes for feer almost to raue,
there was'a That thei myht afforn hem nat endure,
quake and hail Flcdde the feeld for dreed, themsilf to saue. 3692
And ther was herd an hidous erthe-quaue;
And fro heuene in this mortal bataille,
Of cold constreynyng gret stonys gan doun haille.
mortally Thcr aduersaries bete douw & grouwdid, 3696
wounded, drove ^.nd afFom hem durste nat abide.
a dagger into n ^ t\
his heart. And Brenwyus so mortalh was wouwdid,
3663. Manus] EManus B, Emanvs R, Euridanus P — Thessa-
ionus P.
3669. prowesse] poweer B, R. 3673. &] of H.
3688. Which] The which R.
3694. from H. 3695. doun] to H.
BK. IV]
An Envoy on Respect for the Gods
57S
Bothe brest & bed, & burt tborub outber side, —
Loo, beer the eende of couetise & pride: 3700
For Brennyus for constreynt of bis smerte
Rooff witb a dagger bymseluen to tbe berte.
Tbis was bis eende, vengable & merueilous;
And bis dukis slay[e]n botbe tweyne, 3704
Callid Emanus & Tbesalorus,
Tbe Grekissb goddis gan at bym so disdeyne.
Of sacrilege seetb beer tbe greuous peyne:
For wbo to goddis list do non obseruaunce, 3708
Sbal vnwarii be punsbed witb vengaunce.
It is nat bolsum witb goddis [for] to pleie.
Nor tber puissaunce presumptuousb tattame;
For wber-as tbei be vengaunce Hst werreie, 3712
Wbo Hst assay sbal fynde it no game.
For bis presumpcioun Brennyus fond tbe same;
For AppoUo, Diane and Mynerue
For bis outrage vnwarii made bym sterue. 3716
and both h!s
captains were
slain. The
gods of the
Greeks would
allow no
sacrilege.
It is not
wise to trifle
with the gods.
Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie declaretb, wbo list beer^, [p,
Of duk Brennyus many grrt bataile,
His extort conquest, & booli tbe maneer^
How [he] bi force rood tborub al Itaille.
AfFtir bow be tbe Romeyns dede assaille;
His fall in Grece bi vengable violence,
For be to goddis list do no reuerence.
Took al the tresours & ieweles most enteere
Out of tber tempbs, & richest apparaille.
Gold and perle, & al that stuff ifeere.
To bis encres which that mybte auaille.
The riche be robbed, oppressid tbe poraille,
Of verrai pompe & froward insolence.
And list to goddis do no reuerence.
Tbis mybti tirawnt most surquedous of cheere.
With couetise brent in his entraille,
Whos gredi fret tber mybt no mesure steere,
Til that Fortune at myscbeefF dede bym faille;
He lakked mybt bir variaunt wheel to naille.
^-^1 This tragedy
''53J tells of battles
fought by
Brennus, and
how he fell
in Greece
3720 because he
had no respect
for the gods.
He robbed
3724 the temples of
their treasures,
and all men;
3728
3732
and no measure
could restrain
his greed, until
Fortune threw
him from her
wheel.
3703. his] the R.
3705. Emanvs H, Euridanus P — Thesaleus H, Thessalonus P.
3710. for] om. R, J, P. 3720. he] om. J.
576 The Story of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus \jiK. iv
Ageyns whos fall ther was no resistence, 3736
For he [to] goddls list do no reuerence.
Noble Princes. ^^^^^ Pfincis, conccyueth & dooth lere
pute^and^^" The fall of Brenwyus for mysgouernaille,
Slif Towction ^^^ prudentli peisyng this mateere, 3740
of your Vertu is strenger than outher plate or maille.
to do due AfForn considred what Salamon* doth couwsaille,
reverence to Chggf prescruatifF of yout magnificence,
Is first to God to do due reuerence. 3744
[How Pirrus kyng of pirothe listnat Ijme in pees but
of pride and presumpcioun in werre, cam to
myschaunce.] ^
IN Bochas book next folwyng on ])e rywg
Cam yong[e] Pirrus, sone of Eacides,
Next appeared
young
Pyrrhus, son
of iEacides, born
u) reign in Bom bc discent to regnen & be kyng
And tenherite the lond of Pirothes. 3748
Yit in his youthe & in his tendre encres.
The froward peeple duellyng in that place,
Withoute his gilt, gan his deth purchace.
him^from'Tis ^^^ to ptescrue hym, as maad is mencioun, 3752
he^was Tent"" ^^ ^^^ comwyttid & taken in keepyng
to Giaucus, Certeyn yeeris for his sauacioun
king of Illyria, _« At f Tii- • i
whose wife was 1 o oon ijiaucus ot lllirie kyng,
Whos wifF was cosyn, be record of writyng, 3756
To the seid[e] famous Eacides,
And she in stori callid Beronices.
born of his ownfjg j^jj^ ^f blood[e] to this noble queen,
Bothe tweyne born of o lynage, 3760
Wonder gracious to alle that dede hym seen
And weel fauoured of fetures & visage.
And in the while of his tendre age,
Oon Cassander, off Macedoyne kyng, 3764
Compassid his deth bi sotil fals werkyng.
was Sii 'young, And his purpos for to brynge aboute,
Cassander j^g sente fot hym bi fals collusioun,
plotted his -' r 1
death and Puttyng Glauchus pleynli out of doute, 3768
sent for him, rt -i?! !• i i • •
threatening but yiit he Cam lich his enteucioun,
Giaucus that tt i j i ^ i • j ^
unless Pyrrhui He wolde wctke to his destrucciouw,
beSn \"Znl\ Gadre peeple bothe nih & ferre
^"- And on Glauchus gynwe a mortal werre. 3772
3737. to] om. R. 3742- Salamon] Brennyus B, J, R.
3757. the is repeated in H. 3766. his] this H.
* MS. J. leaf 103 verso.
BK. iv] The Story of PyrrbuSy King of Epirus
577
But king Glaucus took therof* non heede,
Hauyng to Pimis so gret affeccioun:
Of hym resceyued verraili in deede
To been his sone bi adopcioun,
Purposyng of hool entencioun
To make Pimis, pleynli yifF he may,
To been his hair & regne aftir his day.
Pirrus alway up growyng bi encres,
ful amyable bothe of cheer & face;
And in this while the peeple of Pirothes,
Knowyng that he stood in Glaucus grace,
Chaunged ther hertis, cast hem in short space
For to restore, alle of o corage.
The said[e] Pirrus to his heritage.
Thus bi assent he was crowned kyng,
Yong, fressh & lusti, & semli therwithal.
Wonder weel thewed in his upgrowyng,
Lik his lynage of corage wex roiall.
The which was cause in especiall,
He was beloued of freendis al aboute,
And of his enmyes gretli had in doute.
The name of hym gan to spreede ferre
Thoruh al Grece aboute in ech contre.
The lond of Tarente gan in [t]his tyme a werre
Ageyn[es] the Romeyns, as ye may see,
Requeryng Pirrus that he wolde bee
Fauourable & helpyng of entente
To the parti of them of Tharente.
But Glaacus
paid no atten-
tion to him,
and purpose]
to make
Pjrrhus his
3776 heir;
3780
3784
and when
the people of
Epims heard
that he stood
in Glaucus'
favour, they
restornl him
to his heritage
and crowned
him king.
To ther request he gan condescende.
And of purpos cast hym nat to faile,
Yif that Fortune wolde hym grace sende,
With myhti hand & marcial apparaile
For to be lord & conquere al Itaille,
As dide his vncle whilom, dout[e]les,
Callid Ahsaundre kyng of Epirothes.
[p.
3792
He was
beloved of
his friends and
feared by his
^706 enemies; his
name spread far
and wide, and
the Tarentines
asked him to
help them
against Rome.
3800
^r j] This he did,
^tJ and aspired to
the conquest of
all Italy.
3804
3773. therofj heerof B, R, J, H 5.
3784. Chaunged] chang>-ng H, R 3, H 5.
3792. al] om. R.
3795. echl his R.
3796. this] his J, H 5, P — a] om. R, J, P.
3800. the] be H — ist ofj with H.
578 The Story of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus [byl. iv
Tbatde i?t1i First he began his conquest in Itaille 3808
at^Hwaciear"' Toward HeracHc, a myhti gret cite,
Wher with Brenwyus he hadde a gret bataille,
Consul of Rome & lord of that contre.
And to thencres of his felicite, 381a
As [it] is remembred in historic,
Vpon Romeyns he gat that victorie.
melnT°of his The oHfauwtis with castelis on ther bak
cirtk8"onldr Caused Pirrus, the yonge manli knyht, 38^0
backs. With his wisdam, in which ther was no lak,
To putte his enmyes that day to the fliht.
And in this while it happed foorth riht,
The Secilians, Bochas berth record, 3820
Among hemsiIfF[e] wer at gret discord.
^Vsiciiia^s" Ther was atween hem gret dyuisiouw,
were at discord g^h to othet conttaric in werkyne;
among them- . ?
selves and But to tefourmc thet fals discencioun, 3824
to be their Thei preied Pirrus to come & be ther kyng.
'"^' To whos request he fuUi assentyng,
Bi them maad strong, list nat to dilFerre,
Ageyn the Romeyns to begynwe a werre. 3828
He^assented. gggide a castell callid Esculus,
them^'atTacked^ Withynwe Poile, his baneres he gaw splaie.
the Romans at The Same day, nat happi nor vrous,
he was defeated Conttarious Fortune his power gan afFraie, 3832
ran away. w^Qy^jgj ^q ^j^g Att\\ gan grctli hym dismaye,*
Be which occasiouTj this Pirrus anon riht
Leep on his courseer & took hym to the fliht.
."n HefenJi' A sone he hadde callid Helenus, 3836
king of Sicily Born of the douhtir of kyng Agothodes,
Whom he ordeyned, myn auctour tellith thus,
For to be crowned, to his gret encres.
On Sicilians to regne ther in pes, 3840
Weenyng therbi taue had auauntage.
And in this while cam to hym a massage
3808. gan R.
3809. Heraclie] om. H.
3810. Brennyus] Leuinus P — gret] strong H.
3813. it] om. R, J, H, P. 3815. bak] bakkis H.
3818. to the] vn to H. 3820. berth] bers H.
3827. strong] om. R.
3829. Asculus P. 3833. dismaye] disamaie B.
3837. Agathocles P. 3840. ther to regne H, R 3.
BK. iv] The Story of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus
579
Out of Tharente, which stood in auenture
For his absence out of that regeoun, —
Yif he nat cam, thei myhte nat endure
Ageyn the poweer of them of Rome toun,
Which of assent* wer descendid doun
Ageyn[e]s hem, thei stondyng in dispa[i]re,
Sauff in abidyng upon his repair.
Pirrus this while stood in ful hard[e] poynt,
Wex abasshed & dul in his corage,
Atwix[e] too hangyng in disioynt:
Werreied of Romeyns, hatid in Cartage;
Hadde a bataille to his fynal damage
Withynne a feeld callid Arusius,
Ther put to fliht bi oon Fabricius.
Destitut bi fortune & appeired.
Void of socour, bareyn of richesse,
Lik a man of hope disespeired,
Toward Epire in haste he gan hym dresse,
Wher he was first, his stori doth expresse,
As ye han herd rehersed be writyng,
Bi successioun whilom lord & kyng.
But whan he cam to Epire his cite.
He gan of newe ageyn Antigonus,
Kyng of Macedoyne, a ful strong contre,
Hym to werreie he was so desirous.
And bi conquest, the stori tellith thus,
Withynne a while, ther was no gret lettyng,
Bi helpe of Fortune he was crownid kyng.
Nat seuene monethes regnywg in quiete,
Bi Lysymachus, maugre al his myht.
He was put doun & remeued from his seete.
Yit of presumpcioun, thouh ther was no riht,
He took on hym to gynne a newe fiht
Geyn Lacedemoyns, & felli them werreie,
Onli because thei wolde hym nat obeie.
Whos presumpcioun whan that thei beheeld,
Bothe of prudence & of policie
Women wer armed to make a large feeld.
With multitude toppressen his partie,
3846. the] ther R. 3847. assent] ascent B.
3851. abaissht R. 3855. Arusius] Tarentinus P.
3859. despeired R, J, disepeirid H.
3844
and went to
Tarcntum,
where the
people were
hard pressed
by the Romans.
3848
3852
Harassed hy
the Romans
and hated in
Carthagei he
was again
defeated.
3856
and, returning
to Epirus in evil
plight.
3860
3864
nevertheless
began a
successful war
against
Antigonus of
Macedon and
was crowned
,n--a king m his
3868 stead.
Seven months
later he was
,g-2 dethroned by
■^ ' Lysimachus and
presumptuously
attacked the
Spartans.
3876
Even the
women took
the field against
him, and his
3880 ^° ^^^ slain.
58o
The Death of Pyrrhus. Aristotimus
[bk. IV
For comoun proffit put hem in iupartie;
And fynalli such was ther ordenaunce,
That seid[e] Pirrus was brouht to myschaunce.
hilough? His sone ther slayn, callid Tholome,
wa^siiuSir''^"^ many other loste ther her lyues;
a stone as he Yit for al that, of pride and cruelte,
came to the _-. r i i a
city wall. rle gan a werre ageyn[ejs the Argyues.
And at the eende of al his mortal striues,
For conclusioun, this was his laste fall,
Slayn with a ston as he cam to ther wall.
His hed smet off in the same place,
And therof made an oblacioun
To Antigonus for a gret solace.
Thus list Fortune quite his presumpciouw,
Afftir his werris with many regioun.
Loo, heer the eende of folkis rek[e]les
That folwed werre & list nat lyue in pes!
3884
[p. 255]
His head was
cut off and
sent to Antig-
onus.
3892
3896
Aristotimus, a
tyrant, set
aside the two
heirs to the
throne of
Epirus,
Pyrrhus and
Ptolemy, and
became king
himself.
Like a tyrant
he slew and
exiled all the
notables
[How the tiraunt Aristotyn/ bi trecherous werkyng
sette a-side the right lyne/ was crowned kyng
of Epirothes & aftir slajm.] ^
F>RTH procedyng, folwywg lohn Bochas
I will reherse in ful pleyn langage 3900
How Aristotyn, a tiraunt, this the cas,
Caste & compassed bi ful gret outrage,
Hauyng no title of riht nor heritage.
Of Epirothes bi trecherous werkyng 3904
Voidyng the lyne, ther to be crowned kyng.
Lyuyng too childre, the stori tellith thus,
Born bi discent to regne in that cite,
Theldest of them callid was Pirrus 3908
And the second named Tholome;
And bothe tweyne bi the cruelte
Of Aristotyn wer falsli set aside,
He maad[e] kyng, this tirauwt, thoruh his pride. 3912
And whil that he thus gan occupie,
Lik a tiraunt cruel & vengable.
Of fals[e] rancour and malencolie
3885. R omits to line 484 of Book V. 3886. loste] lefFt H.
3896. many a H.
3901. Aristotimus P. 3910. the] am. H.
1 MS. J. leaf 104 recto.
BK. IV]
The Fate of Aristotimus the Tyrant
S8i
Slouh al the citeseyns that wer most notable.
And exilid, this stori is no fable,
Onli of malis withynne his herte cloos,
Al that wer contrary vnto his purpos.
Vnto the women bi fraudulent sentence
He made ordeyne, aftir that anon.
Of feyned pite gaff to them licence
To ther freendis freeli for to gon
With ther richessis; but thei wer euerichon
Bi his biddyng & bi his fals tresoun
Take bi the weie & fetrid in prisouw, —
Or thei wer war was set on them arest.
And aftir that, of vengable cruelte
The[r] childre slay[e]n, sovkyng at ther brest,
Maidnes oppressid of ther virgynyte.
But in this while, at Epire* the cite
Ther was a kniht passyng of gret age,
Which caste of purpos tauenge [t]his outrage.
This same kniht, myn auctowr tellith thus,
In the stori pleynli as I reede,
Was in Greek tunge callid Bellanicus,
Riht wis & manli bothe in werk & deede.
And thynges tweyne put hym out of dreede
Texecute his purpos in certeyn,
Maugre alle tho that wolde been hyw ageyn.
For comoun proffit he drad nat to* be ded;
A cause was this: for he was falle in age;
And a-nother, that put hym out of dreed.
For he no childre hadde of his lynage.
His quarell rihtfuU gaf hym auauntage.
And heerupon gadred hym of newe
Such as he knew that manli wer & trewe.
This purpos holde with circumspect auis,
And theron maad ful prudent ordenaunce.
This Bellanicus, old, hardi & riht wis,
Affom prouided bi knihtli purueiauwce,
The said[e] tiraunt brouht onto myschaunce
Bi help of them that wer to hym assentid,
Vnwarli slayn, whos deth was nat repentid.
3916. most3 full H. 3925. 2nd bi] om. H.
3929. children H. 3931. at]inH, R3, H 5, P — Epire] Cipre B.
3934. This] The H. 3936. Helematus P.
3941. to] for to B.
3916
and told the
39 '"J women they
could go
to their friends
and take their
possessions
with them.
3924
But after they
had started on
^028 ^^^" journey
^^ he waylaid
them and put
them in prison,
slew their
children and
oppressed the
maidens.
3932
An old knight
named
Hellicanus
resolved to
•2Q75 punish this
^^^ outrage.
3940
Childless, and
too old to fear
death, he
collected a body
of supporters
3944
Q and slew the
3940 tyrant.
3952
582 The Adultery and Death of §lueen Arsinoe [bk. iv
[How quene Arcynoe for the auoutrie don wit/i
Demetrius husbond of hir douhtir Berenices/
ended in sorow.] ^
fu°me"h"pen A FFTIR this stori Bochas ga« applie
J^endournesT* '^^ ^^ t\ixr\t his pcnwc, Hk as ye shal heere, 3956
of Arsinoe, who To Write & tell the froward lecherie
beautiful. Of Arsynoe, plesauwt of look & cheere,
Which of hir port & eek of hir maneere
Was in hir daies, lik as it is founde, 3960
For crafFt & beute callid Venus the secounde.
Sfe of Magas, Fot hir faimesse youen in manage
aiTthey^had"^' ^^ "oble Agas of Cireues kyng,
a daughter And atwceu hem, whil thei wer yong of age, 3964
was by her Thci hadde a douhtir, hi record of writyng,
to marry the Callid Bcrouices; the kyng at his eendywg
son of Ptolemy; jj^ j^j^ testauient bad she sholde be
Weddid to the sone of kyng Tholome. 3968
And this was doon of entenciouw
To cese the werris, that hadde endured longe
Atween Egipt, as maad is menciouw.
And the Cirenes, bothe rewmys stronger 3972
Bi this mariage that he myhte vndirfonge
In his deyng to sette a fynal pes
Tween these too rewmys for ther bothe encres.
dL\h,^"r^noe'' After whos deth[e], thus the mateer stood: 3976
married Berenice Queen Atsyuoc, most subtil in wetkywg,
Ageyn this mateer so cruel was & wood,
Maried hir douhtir, withoute mor lettyng,
Callid Beronices, ageyn[e]s the biddyng 3980
Of hir fadir, that callid was Agas,
As heer-toforn rehersid is the caas.
b°o?erof""'' She maried hire to oon Demetrivs
^f"JJ8onu8^^king Xhat brother was, bi Bochas rehersyng, 3984
Onto the myhti grete Antigonvs,
Beyng in Grece of Macedoyne kyng.
But infortunat was afFtir hir weddyng,
As in this stori suyng ye shal see, 3988
Bi the fals werkyng of queen Arsynoe.
3977. most subtil in werkyng] made sotile werkyng H.
3984. bi] om. H. 3987. was afftir hir] he was afftir this H.
* MS. J. leaf 104 verso.
3992
3996
BK. iv] The Adulury and Death oj ^ueen Arsinoe
And to conclude shortli this mateere,
Whan this queen, this double Arsynoe,
Sauh of Demetrius the visage & the cheere.
His look, his colour, his langage & beute,
His manli port & his liberahte,
She was enamoured, of flesshli fals plesaunce,
Lik hir desir taue his aqueyntaunce.
Of hir nature she was most lecherous;
And of hir froward inclynacioun
She brouhte aboute that Demetrius
Assentid was hi hir suggestioun
For tacomplisshe, lik hir oppynyoun,
Al hir desirs of flesshli appetit:
Thus of accord thei folwed ther delit.
LefFt his wifF callid Berenices,
The queenys douhtir, & ageyn al riht
In a place secre, out of pres,
Thei lay togidre almost euery nyht,
Takyng non heed of God nor of no wiht,
Til of fortune the cas is so befall.
That he was hatid of his knihtis all,
Despiht thei hadde of Arsynoe,
The deede horrible whan thei dide espie.
His wiiF Beronices eek whan she dede see
Hooli the maner of ther ribaudie,
In herte she kauhte a gret malencolie,
Ordeyned knihtis in steel armid briht
In ther auoutry to take* hem on a niht.
Liggyng a-bedde, slepte & took no keep<f
AflPtir fals lustis which thei hadden vsid,
Thei fill upon hem euene whil* thei sleeps.
The deede open myht nat been excusid.
To al the world [e] thus thei wem accusid.
With suerdis drawe the knihtis thilke niht
To slen hem bothe wer purposed anon riht.
Out on Beronices! crieth lohn Bochas,
Because she bad spare Arsynoe,
Ground, roote & gynnyng of this horrible caas,
Seide hir merci was verray cruelte, —
583
When Arsinoe
8aw Demetrius,
who was very
handsome, she
fell in love
with him
and so managed
that she
became hit
mistress.
4000
He forsook
4004 Berenice and
was hated by
his knights for
his behaviour.
4008
4012
In her wrath,
Berenice
ordered armed
men to take
Arsinoe and
Demetrius in
their adultery.
4016
Falling upon
them in their
sleep with
drawn swords,
4020 ^hey were about
to put them
both to death;
4024
but Berenice
bade them spare
Arsinoe's life,
which Bochas
says was a very
foolish thing to
4028 do.
3993. &] his H, R 3, H 5. 4009. is] om. H.
4017. take] taken B.
4020. whil] whan B, J, R 3, when P.
584
The Adultery and Death oj ^ueen Arsinoe []bk. iv
for she was
the cause of all
the trouble.
Arsinoe shielded
Demetrius with
her naked body
and begged the
knights to spare
him and kill
her instead.
But it was of
no avail:
both died.
Berenice
afterwards
married
Ptolemy.
To saue suchon it was a fals pite,
As seith myn auctowr, a thyng contrarious,
Hir to preserue & slen Demetrius!
0 Beronices, smal is thi discreciouw, 4032
To saue the queen that hath thi[s] tresoun founde.
First to Demetrius she gafF occasiouw,
For which she sholde haue had the firste wouwde
Take for them bothe, and in cheynis bouwde; 4036
And aftir that, this fals Arsynoe
Texaumple of other sholde haue punshed bee.
And whil thei wer[e]n thus taken in cloos,
The said Arsynoe made no delay, 4040
But from hir bed anon she up aroos,
Withoute clothes, naked as she lay.
Ran to ther suerdis in al ther gret affray,
Wente atween hem, did hir besi peyne 4044
To here of strokis with hir armys tweyne.
To saue Demetrius, naked as she stood.
Void of al dreed[e] dede hir besi cure,
Hir white bodi al bespreynt with blood, 4048
Gan to crien out on eueri creature, —
"Alas," quod she, "lat me allone endure
Deth be my-silfF! ye been to despitous.
To save my lyff and slen Demetrius!" 4052
To the erthe anon she fill adouw, [p. 257]
To stonde upriht she myht[e] nat susteene,
Ded, pale & wan, with many pitous soun
Deth of Demetrius gan wofulli bemeene, 4056
Enbracyng hym with al his woundis greene.
And in hir armys, al-be that he lay ded,
She kissid his mouth, cold, blew & nothyng red.
In sorwe & compleynt thus she made an eende. 4060
1 write no mor of this Arsynoe,
But to Beronices ageyn I wil now weende;
For Bochas seith, the stori ye may see,
She aftir was weddid to Tholome,* 4064
Lik as it was hir fadris first entent,
Whan he deied & made his testament. 4066
^ Finis libri quarti.
4033. this] thi J, thy P. 4041. roos H.
4064. Tholome] worthi Tholome B, J, woorthy Ptholome P.
BOOK V
9 Incipit Liber Quintus.
[Here Bochas writeth ayenst hem t)«t delite in beute
& semlynesse, calling to purpos how, A man,
bom in Tuscan which ezcellid in beute and
fairenesse, and for his beute sholdenot'*' geve
othir occasioun to synne he disfigured his visage
with many a grete wounde and spotte.] ^
HEER lohn Bochas scometh & hath
disdeyn [p.
Of thre maner folk he dide see
Heer in J)is world [e], which Jjat in certeyn
Set al ther ioie and ther felicite
For texelle in faimesse & beute,
Natwithstandyng, as he* weel telle can.
It hath vndoon ful many worthi man.
Record he taketh of Demetrius,
Which in his tyme was fairest in certeyn.
Which caused hym to be contrarious
To al vertu; his stori ye haue* seyn.
But of tho folk Bochas hath most disdeyn,
That besi been to conquere & recure
Beute bi crafFt, which kometh nat of nature.
The thridde is he that gruchcheth ageyn Kynde
For lak of stature or* of semlynesse:
And alle thes thre be ignorauwt & blynde,
And ageyn resoun ther corages thei up dresse.
Yit aboue beute vertu is maistresse;
And litil worth is faimesse in certeyn
In a persone wher no vertu is seyn.
John Bochas
here expresses
2 CqI his contempt for
^^^ three sorts of
people: those
who set all
their joy to
excel in beauty
4 and are
contrary to
virtue.
8
those who seek
to obtain beauty
by art which
comes not from
nature, and
those who
complain of
their lack of
12 stature or good
looks.
i6
__ Virtue is above
20 beauty.
6. he] ye B, J. 7. many a H.
II. haue] han B.
13. to conquere] by conquest to H.
16. or] & B, J, P.
^ MS. J. leaf 105 recto — sholdenot] sloddenot J.
585
586 Bochas' Scorn of Sensuality [|bk. v
ftV^yVf' '''* Vnto purpos he tellith of a man
Spuria", ^wSe That excelled al other in fairnesse,
fairness brought CalUd Spumva, & bom was in Tuscan. 24
women into a J r 1 1 • i i i • •
dotage; And tolkis haddc loie and gret gladnesse
To beholde hym for his semlynesse,
Whos beute brouht[e] women in dotage,
Whan thei caste ther look on his visage. 28
Wyues, maydnes duellyng in that contre
Presed faste on hym to beholde,
Bi thoccasioun of his gret beute,
Nat onli yonge, but sumwe that wer olde. 32
With louis accesse now wer thei hoot, now colde:
Thus was his beute to many creature
Fouwde in effect a [ful] pereilous lure.
thrir^husbands Husbondis oldc kauhtc a fantasie 36
pradintiy"^' ^* "^"^ haddc in maner a suspeciouw,
resolved to Steted bi the serpent of fats ielousie,
avoid all evil _, ^ ,
occasion. 1 owatd Spumya, as maad is menciouw;
But for tauoide al euel occasiou« 40
Of any peeple that such malis thouhte.
Ye shal heere how wisli that he wrouhte.
couSnanfe"' To put E-wey fals delectacioun
rau and""^"^ "^"^ ^^^^ occasiouMS of Cupidis rage, 44
gashes, that He of prudence and discreciouw
he lost all his ,^,. , -i ^•cr• i i • •
attraction. With many wouwde diitaced his visage;
For he dempte it was a gret damage.
That bi thenchesouw of excellent beute 48
Any creature hyndred sholde be.
Ssophersand PhiUsophres & poctis that wer wise
poets com- GafF vnto hym gret comendaciouw,
mended hira iii ii-i-
greatly for this That he koude SO notabli deuise, Sa
notable deed. rj-i r ^ • • i i •
1 o rynde a weie withynwe his resouw.
To sette aside al occasions
Of such vnleefFul fless[h]li fantasie,
That myhte stere women to lecherie. 56
beautTfadM *" ^e knew afForn & sauh bexperience,
Hke summer That al beute shal waste a-wey & fade
Lik somer flowrs in ther most excellence.
That growe on hillis & lowe douw in the shade: 60
The rose, the lilie, whan thei be most glade,
34. many a H. 35. ful] otn. J. 44. alle] fals H.
BK. v] An Envoy on Worldlimss and Sensuality
587
Vpon ther stalkls — ther preef is alday seyn —
Been beten doun with a stormy reyn.
And semblabli in eueri creature 64
Of louh degre or of hih estat,
Beute abit nat, nor lenger doth endure
Than youthes sesoun; with age is ful chekmaat.
Who thynketh heron, I holde hym fortunat, 68
And can afFom[e] in his resoun caste,
No worldli beute in erthe may alway laste.
and lasts no
longer than
youth. I hold all
men fortunate
who are aware
of this.
^ Lenvoye.
YE worldli folk that reio[i]she in beute,
Seeth with the eien of your adu^rtence
How with a smal sodeyn infirmyte.
Whan deth & age list shewen ther presence,
Disteyne al fresshnesse with vnwar violence,
Ageyn whos myht ther is non other grace :
Processe of yeeris al beute doth difface.
Thouh Demetrius was fair vpon to see,
As ye han herd rehersid in sentence,
Geyn lawe & riht he loued Arsynoe,
Thoccasioun founde bi hir fals insolence.
Because resoun made no resistence,
Nat aduertyng how eueri hour & space
Processe of yeeris al beute doth diiFace.
Ye worldly folk,
who rejoice ia
beauty,
remember that
its freshness is
dimmed by age
and death.
76
Althoagh
Demetrius
was fair, he
loved Arsinoe
3o against law and
right.
Ful horrible was ther iniquite.
And tofor God hatful ther offence.
For thoruh fals lust of sensualite.
Lost was the bridil of inward prouidence.
Sharp mortal suerd made the recompence,
Drownid in teres, whan she dide hym enbrace.
With bloodi woundis disfigured al his face.
O noble Princis, lat this stori bee
A cleer merour to your magnificence,
Theryn considerid the fals fragilite
Of worldli faimesse, which is but apparence
And transitorie, but so be that prudence
Goueme the passage vicious lust tenchace:
Processe of yeeris al beute doth difface !
84
[p. 260]
Their sin was
horrible and
hateful to God,
and their
recompense was
death.
88
02 O noble
" Princes, remem-
ber the fragility
of worldly
beauty, which
is but appear-
ance unless
prudence banish
all vicious
desires.
96
75. vnwar]] sodeyn H.
91. disfiguryng H.
80. ageyn H.
588
The Discord of Seleucus and Antiochus [bk. v
[How the too brethem, Seleuchus and Anthiochws
eche desirous to excellen other fel at discord
ended in mischeffj ^
THER is no man \>at can in stori reede
Of mor myscheef nor of mor debat,
Both were
mighty kings
and both were
destroyed
No quarrel is
worse than one
between kindred,
especially when
they are persons Than of dcbat bat is atwccn kvnreede,
oi nigh estate, rp 111111
Iween blood & blood, geyn kynde infortunat;
Namli in personys which been of hih estat,
As it fill onys, the stori berj) record, 104
Atween to brethre that wer at discord.
Antiochus!"tto The ton Seleuchus, Antiochus the tothir,
&° worldly'"'^"'' ^s the stori heeraftir shal deuise:
covetousness, Ech desitous for texcellen othir 108
were bitter -. ... i • i •
rivals. In worldli worshep; & wonderh thei wer wise.
And bothe blent bi worldli couetise
For to clymben up to hih estat,
Which caused hem to been at debat. 112
Bothe mihti kyngis, Bochas makth mencioun,
And of o wombe sothli thei wer born,
by the^war that Vndir a cursid fell constellaciouw :
arose between ^^- r j i
them. Ur rroward seed may growe no good[ej corn. 116
And thoruh couetise bothe thei wer lorn
And destroied bi the mortal werre
That was atween hem, in Asie nih & ferre.
is to me verray contagious
broken promises.
The false promyses of Antiochus,
With his* deceitis & conspiraciouws.
Brethre of berthe & off condiciouns, t24
Contrarious weies euer thei dede weende,
Froward ther gynwyng [&] froward was ther eende.
Ther mooder was callid Laodices,
And in Asia Seleuchus was regnywg, 128
Euer at werre, koude nat lyue in pes;
And in Surrie Antiochus was kyng.
And among robbours thei made ^er eendyng:
Wher-euer thei fauht, outher in wrong or riht, 132
Thei neuer abod but took hem to the fliht.
It is grievous J^.
to read of their ^
battles and f q rcede the batailles & the discenciouns,
Their mother
was Laodice;
Seleucus was
king in Asia,
Antiochus in
Syria. They
lived among
robbers and
always fled
when they
fought.
102. geyn] ageyn H. 107. the] their H.
123. his] the B.
133. Never thei bood J, P — to the] vn to H
^ MS. J. leaf 105 verso.
the] om. J, P,
148
152
BK. v3 The Discord 0/ Seleucus and Antiocbus
Thouh Seleuchus was at his gynnyng
Shynyng in glorie & in hih prowesse,
And of Asie he was lord & kyng,
With gret difFame was dirked his noblesse,
Because that he of gret vnkyndenesse
Ful falsli slouh, withoute iugement,
His yonger brother, that was innocent.
And bi the biddyng of Laodices,
Which was his mooder, of hatful cruelte
Falsli to moordre the queen Beronices,
WifF to the kyng callid Tholome,
Regnyng in Egipt; but it stood that he,
For al his poweer, failed of his pray,
Because that she was war & fledde a-way.
Yit aftirward, of old hate & en vie.
This Seleuchus, bi ful fals tresoun,
Moordred Beronices bi conspiracie,
Hir sone also, as maad is mencioun.
The sclauwdre aros thoruh many a regioun
And was reportid onto his difFame,
Wherthoruh he loste his worshep & his name.
And on this moordre auengid for to bee,
For thorrible gret abusioun.
The kyng of Egipt, the said[e] Tholome,
Gan make hym strong, & cam with peeple doun.
But for ther was so gret discencioun
Thoruh al his lond, the stori seith certeyn,
He was constreyned to retourne hom ageyn.
Seleuchus thanne maad a strong arme,
Gadred shippis, stufFed hem with vitaile,
Toward Asie he taken hath the se,
But such tempest gan his peeple assaile,
That ther hertis and poweer gan to faile,
With thundryng, lihtnyng vengabli distreyned,
To take the lond of neede he was constreyned.
The peeple of Asie seyng this myscheefF, [p. 261]
Hadde of Seleuchus gret compassioun;
And ther socour to setten at a preefF,
Thei hym resceyued into that regeoun, 172
150. fals conspiracie H.
167. lihtnyng] levenyng — distrejmed] disteynyd H.
169. The] This H.
589
Seleucus lost
his gcxxl name
by slaying an
innocent
1^6 younger
^ brother.
140
and he
would have
killed Queen
Berenice, wife
of Ptolemy,
if she had not
144 run away.
Yet he
succeeded in
slaying her
together with
her son
afterwards.
156
Ptolemy sought
revenge, but
could do
nothing be-
cause of the
dissensions in
his kingdom.
160
Seleucus then
collected an
army and ships
and set sail
164 ^°'' Asia, where
he was forced
to land by a
tempest. The
people treated
him kindly.
168
59° The Discord of Seleucus and Antiochus [^bk. v
Thouh it [so] stood, as maad is menciouw,
That afFor-tyme for his cruel deede
Thei hadde his persone in ful gret hatreede.
He began a And for hc fond Fortune fauourable, 176
war against _ ^ . , ' •
Ptolemy and JNat considryng hir mutabihte,
He cast of rancour for to be vengable,
And gynwe a werre ageyn[es] Tholome.
His men outraied, he was maad to flee; 180
Knew no refuge nor socour of non othir,
But for gret myscheefF sente to his brothir, —
Promising his \ meeuc his brothir caUid Antiochus,
brother to _ , i r 11
crown him king Joehestyng hym for to crowne hym kywg 184
of Asia, he f\C ^ \ • ^/• • ll- l i
asiced his aid. Ut al Asie, his ston tellith thus, —
m"eanwhiie made Took trcus this while, bc sotil fals werkywg,
truce with" With Tholome for ten yeer enduryng;
Ptolemy; ^nd whaw his brother cam with his poweer, 188
Falsid his promys, double of herte & cheer.
and when his Thus of newc thei fillen at debat;
brother came i •!• •
to help him Luetich gaw Other myhtili werreie.
XElICQ to kcCD
his promise; Fals couetise tencrcceu ther estat 193
it\\oIt again Caused that nouther list other to obeie.
Sefeucuf'lkd!"'^ Mette in a feeld, ther is no mor to seie,
as was his wont, p^uht hand of hand ther hostis bothe too;
Seleuchus fledde, as he was wont to doo. 196
Thus a fals werre of hatreede fraternall
Ageyn nature set hem at discord,
Ech bisi was in especiall.
As ther stori remewbreth be record, 200
Neuer ther lyue to been of oon accord.
But whan Seleuchus was thus put to fliht.
The peeple off Surrie gan deemen anon riht,
When he fled, That he that day was outher taken ot ded; 204
the Syrians and .1/^11 1 r ^
Gaiatiaps And Galloctccs, a peeple ot gret pouste,
been^kuied, and Of couetise gau haste hem ful gret speed
pillage Asia> Teutrc Asie, & spoille al that contre.
To Antiochus thei hadde eek enmyte, 208
That he was fayn for his sauacioun
To paie to them a ful gret raunsouw.
173. maad is] is made H. 195. of] for H.
205. Gallogreies H, Gallogreecs R 3, Gallocreis J, Gallogres H 5.
BK. v3 The End of Seleucus and Antiocbus
591
Ther herte was youe onli to pillage,
Takyng of hym of gold gret quantite,
And he, seyng of robbyng the outrage,
Drouh to the pillours; & oon of them was he.
And thoruh al Asie thel robbed ech centre;
For Seleuchus thei gan so purchace,
That he nat durste abiden in no place.
Than Antiochus drouh to Tholome,
Void of saufFconduit or any assuraunce,
Thouh that atween hem was gret enmyte
For a sesouw, as maad is remembraunce,
Tafounde socour in his gret greuaunce.
But al for nouht; for in conclusioun
Tholome hym took & cast in derk prisoun.
Ther constreyned of necessite,
Knowyng no mene to make[n] his raunsoun,
Bi a woman that lyued in pouerte
He was holp out of that merk prisoun.
Loo, heer of Fortune a fals condicioun,
That koude make a kyng withoute peere
Of a woman to stonden in daungeere!
To proude folk this may be a merottr,
To seen a prince thus sodeynli brouht lowe,
That shon in richesse lik an emperottr,
Which of disdeyn[e] list no man to knowe.
Now is he cast; now is he ouerthrowe;
Now hath he cause to pleyne, weepe & mottme,
Knowyng no freend for socowr hym to tottme.
He was afFerd to holden his passage
Bi hih-weies, or for to kome in siht;
Fill among theues; & thei be gret outrage
Al merciles thei* slouh hym anon riht.
And his brother, for al his gret[e] myht,
Callid Seleuchus, which was a gret[e] wonder,
Fill from his courseer & brak his nek assonder.
and were joined
by Antiochus,
212 who paid them
a large ransom.
2l6
Sdeucus was
pursued from
place to place;
and Antiochus
2 20 went to
Ptolemy
without a safe
conduct and
was put in
prison.
224
228
A poor woman
helped him
escape, although
he was one of
the greatest of
kings 1
2^2 This should be
an example to
all proud
people.
236
Afraid to travel
on the highway,
240 he was captured
and slain by
robbers. HUs
brother
Seleucus fdl
off his horse
and broke his
244 °«^''-
211. hert/j H.
213. robbyng] robbery H, R 3, robery H 5.
222. To haue founde J, P.
224. in derk] hym in H, R 3, H 5.
228. merk] dirke H, R 3, dyrke H 5, darke P.
242. thei] ther B.
592 ^ueen Laodameia slain in the Temple of Diana [^bk. v
[How the noble quene Leodomia was in the temple
slayn, and vengeaunce taken/ vpon him that
slouh hir.3 ^
Six princes and O IXE of cstatis, Driiicis & pniicessis,
princesses next ^ „, . , r> i " ,• ,
came before *^ bhewed hem to Dochas pitousli plevnywe,
Bochas rr-l J, , ^ , , f J J bf
piteousiy 1 o fiyw aeclar5'-Mg thcF mortal hcuyncssis; 248
weeping. ^^j g^.^^ ^£ ^jj^ ^j^^^ ^^^ ^^ j^^^ WCCpyng
The noble queen, hlr sorwes rehersyng,
Cald Laodomya, which with ful heuy cheere
Compleyned the myscheef of hir sustir deere, 252
The first of CalHd Neteis, yong & tendre of age, [p. 262J
Laodameia, who That wcddid was of Cicile to the kyng.
complained a i i i r i •
that when And ott the day 01 that gret manage,
N^reTs m'arried Thct fill a stryfF & a gtet meuyng 256
s^diy,"^°^ Among the comouws bamaner of risyng;
That whan the queen[e] therof hadde a siht,
To Dians* temple anon she took hir fliht.
the commons The peeple was parti, & roos ageyw the kyng; 260
rose in rebelhon,„ i • i r i o i i -rr
and the two t ot which[ej rumour & the sodeyn stnit,
queens fled t i rir rii* i
to the temple Laodomya, rul leerrulii quakyng,
prot^'ctbn!""^ Ran to the temple for to saue hir lyfF,
Supposyng in hyr ymagynatifF, 264
That for the templis chast[e] reuerence
Men wolde spare to do ther violence.
Laodameia But thcr was oon bi whom the striff began,
was slain * i r ^ r ^ • •
before the And was hrst ground 01 this gret mocioun, 268
M^to; ^°"^ Callid Milo, a fals Cicilian,
Void of al reuerence & deuociouw.
Ran to the temple fersere than leouw,
And wher the queen the auter dede enbrace, 272
With a sharp suerd[e] slouh hir in the place.
but the gods This sacrilege was punshed be vengaunce;
punished his Goddis wer wroth with this gret offence.
A*gre^ft^' And Diana bi ful gret displesau«ce 276
Foiiowe"d?and Made in the contre a sodeyn pestilence;
Milo went mad ^j^j y[[\Q ^^s bi vnwat violencc
and slew , . • i rr-
himself on the Tumid bestial, maad wood m that afrray,
after. And slouh hymsy[l]ff suyng the tuelfte day. 280
247. compleynyng H. 249. to hym ther cam H, R 3, H C.
259. Dians3 Dianis B, dyanys R 3, DIanes P. 260. peeplesH.
^ MS. J. leaf 106 recto.
BK. \2 The FaU of CUomenes and his Family
593
[How* Cleomens ky[ng] of Macedoyne was slayn
wft/t his wif and chlldre.j] ^
AFFTIR this vengaunce taken on Milo,
Caw Cleomenes of Macedoyne kyng;
And to Bochflj gan shewe* his dedli wo,
His gret iniuries of enmyes assailyng,
His hih emprises, his kyngdam defendjmg.
And aldiriast how he in his cite
Was hi the sone slayn ofF Tholome.
First in his contre, the stori doth deuise,
Ageyn his enmyes he hadde a gret bataile.
Of his peeple defFendyng the fraunchise
Of knihtli prowesse, as he that Hst nat faile
For his riht to fiht in plate & maile,
His lieges echon beyng of assent
To lyue and deie with hym in ther entent.
Men and women, & childre yong of age
Wem of oon herte as in this mateere.
Which made hem strong & gafF* gret auauntage,
That vndeuided thei stood echon ifeere
OfF o corage, ofF o will & o cheere,
Gretli assurid in ther oppynyoun.
Because among hem was no dyuysioun.
Ther comoun profiit thei dede mor preferre
Than thei dede tresour, lyff or good;
For ther fredam ay redi to the werre,
Nat afferd* to spende ther owne blood.
And fynali togidre so* thei stood.
That of o thouht ech gan hym redi make,
To lyue and deie for his brothres sake.
Thei* hadde an enmy born of that regeoun.
The name of whom was Antigonus;
And he had weddid, the book makth mencioun.
The olde queen of kyng Demetrius,
283. to shewe B. 285. kyndamH.
297. gafF] gat B, J, gate P.
299. 2nd ofT] om. H.
305. offerd B.
306. so togidre B, J, P, H, H 5.
308. brothis H.
309. Thei] That B, J, H 5, Than R 3.
^ MS. J. leaf 106 verso — How] His J.
Cleomenes, king
of Macedonia,
who wa« slain
by the »on
of Ptolemy, next
/,Q- appeared to
204 Bochas.
288 He defended
his country
against its
enemie*
292
and had the
support of all
296 his people,
for there was
no division
among them.
300
They preferred
their common
good to all
other things
304 and were not
afraid to shed
their blood for
their country.
308
Their enemy
was Antigonus,
who had
married the old
queen of king
Demetrius and
312 usurped the
594
The Fate of Cleomenes and his Family [^bk. v
fnTehaff of her* ^"^ Haddc hiF sonc, the stori tellith thus,
son Philip; Callid Phelipp, for youthe in his keepyng,
Therbi pretendyng a title to be kyng.
but he was
put out of
the kingdom
for all his
presumption.
OfF Lacedemonois cleymed ageyn riht
Ther to regne & take pocessiouw,
Lik a tirauwt vsurpyng of gret myht,
For to be crowned in that regeouw.
But for al his fals presumpcioun
He was put of and Iset a-ferre,
Thouh he with hem heeld a [ful] mortal werre.
And Cleomenes that was rihtful kyng
Was in the feeld[e] armyd eueri day,
Cleomenes
was in the
battlefield
hardy as a lion. Hardi as leouw, dradde hym [in] nothywg.
316
320
3*4
Finally he
wearied of
the constant
warfare and
thought it
would be best
to have peace
until his people
had recovered.
Leaving his
country well
guarded, he
went to Egypt
with his wife
and children
and lived there
until Ptolemy's
death.
Geyn his enmyes he stood so at a-bay,
That from the feeld he maad hem fleen away:
His dreedful suerd grounden was so keene, 328
That tabide hym [thei] myhte nat susteene.
And on a day difFendyng his cite,
Heeld in the feeld[e] a ful strong bataille;
With litil peeple made his foon to flee, 332
Retournyng hom ful weri of trauaille,
Thouhte in his herte that it sholde auaille
To stynte the werre hangyng in noun certeyw,
Til that his peeple refresshid wer ageyn. 336
Set ordenaunce thoruh al the contre [p. 263]
Geyn al enmyes to make resistence;
And into Egipt he goth to Tholome,
With wifl^ & childre withdrawyng his presence. 340
Ther resceyued with gret benyuolence
Lich his estat, out of care & dreed,
And ther abood til Tholome was* ded.
But afterwards But the sonc of kyng Tholome,
i tolcmv 8 son ^ ^j '
slew him and Which teguid aftir bi successioun,
all his family,
a strange and
cruel thing to
do.
Of fals envie & vengable cruelte
Slouh Cleomenes in that regeoun,
His wifF & childre, void of compassioun.
Alas, it was to strauwge a cruel thyng,
Withynwe his* kyngdam to moordre so a kyng.
344
348
326. ageyn H.
329, That] For H. R 3, H 5 — thei] om. R 3.
338. ageyn H.
343. was] wer B, J. 350. his] a B, J, P.
BK. v] Huro of Syracuse, Cornelius and Hannibal
595
[Of kyng Yero*, Coraelie, and Hanybal.] ^
AFFTIR whos deth Jjmj wrouht bi violence,
[As] the stori remembreth proceedyng,
Foorth caw Yero & shewed his presence,
Of Siracuse the myhti stronge kyng,
Tofor Bochas ful pitousli pleynyng,
Besechyng hym with a ful pitous cheere
Of his myscheef to writen the maneere.
The which Yero, wilful & furious,
List to presume of fals rebellioun
For to debate with Appius Claudius,
And to maligne ageyn[es] Rome toun.
But he anon for his presumpcioun
Constreyned was, in al his moste pride,
Lik a coward to fleen & nat abide.
No mor of hym myn auctour writeth heer,
But in his book[e] as he doth proceede,
fl Ther cam Comelie, of Rome a consuleer,
Hymsilff compleynyng of the gret falsheede
Which onto hym acomplisshed was in deede,
Bassuraunce broke, of olde Hanybal,
Which of Cartage was cheefF admyral.
To this Comelie Hanybal was sworn
With the AfFricanes bamaner flaterie.
To socoure hym, as I* ha[ue] tolde tofom,
With the Romeyns to holde up his partie.
But whan thei mette, the book doth specefie,
Comeli take & fetrid in prisoun,
At myscheefFdeied; ther geyned no raunsoun.
Than Hanybal entred of entent
With his knihtis inta gret cite
Of Cicile callid Agrigent,
Wher lulius Silua, of old enmyte,
Leid a siege with a gret meyne,
That he constreyned the saide Hanybal
For verray hunger to lepe ouer the wal.
Bi a posteme he took hym to the fliht,
Gadred shippis & took the Large Se.
And lulius Silua, lik a manli kniht,
368. of] on H. 371. Amyrall H. 374, I] we B, J.
MS J. leaf 107 recto. Yero] Nero J.
Hicro of
Syracuse
352 besought
Bochas to write
the manner of
his misfortune.
356
He rrfxJled
against Rome
and fought with
Appius
300 Claudius,
and was com-
pelled to flee
like a coward.
Bocha* wrote
no more about
364
him.
368
372
Cornelius, a
Roman consul,
came next and
complained
of the deceit of
Hannibal,
admiral of
Carthage, who
swore to sup-
port- him
against Rome,
and then let
him die in
prison.
376
Hannibal was
afterwards
380 besieged by
Julius Silva in
Agrigcntum,
whence taking
flight, he
escaped by sea
and was finally
^84 stoned to death
by his knights.
388
596 Xanthippus cast into the Sea and drowned ^bk. v
Fauht with hym, & made hym for to flee,
Vpon the watir; [&] anon aftir he
Was of his knihtes stoned to the deth,
And so constreyned he yald up the breth. 392
[Ofif the Duk zantipus/ cast in to see.] ^
w^?'8i2n""D ^k A FFTIR that Hanybal was slay[e]« thus
Xanthippus of -ZJl And put to flih[t], as maad is menciouw,
Sparta appeared. nr\ r t> i i • /v •
1 oror rJochas caw worthi Zantipus,
A famous duk, ful notable oflF renouw. 396
And he was lord of the strong regiou«
Lacedemoyn, & was com from a-ferre
Into Cartage to help hem in the werre.
He helped Bi whos prowesse, to his encres of glorie, 400
Rome and The proud[e] Romeyns wer put to the fliht;
Marcus Reguius.Cartagynensis hadde of them victorie.
And ther was take the wise manli kniht
Marchus Regulus, & brouht anon riht 404
Into Cartage, & lad as prisoneer
Bi Zantipus, as Bochas writeth heer.
But for all his This noble duk, for al his hih prowessis
the ' Doon in Cartage & shewed to ther toun, 408
en'^ed*^?m'and And for al his notable kyndenessis,
thfsea^when Thei most vnkyndeli quit hym his guerdoun;
fn one*of^hdr ^or sailyng hom toward his regiouw,
ships. In a shipp stuffid of ther contre, 413
Of fals envie thei cast hym in the se.
Yet his name To his noblesse and famous cheualrie,
the House of Whan he of knihthod sat hiest in his flowrs,
ame a ways, 'ppjgj ^f Cartage of * hatrcede & envie 416
Maligned ageyn hym, cheeff sonwe of ther socowrs,
Taclipsed his lih[t]: but therageyn auctowrs
Han be writyng perpetueli set his name
And it registred in the Hous of Fame. 420
393. slayen] I slayn R 3, yslain P, Islayn H 5.
394. And] First H.
398. comj cowmen H.
413. theij that H — the] om. H.
416. of] be B, H s, bi J, R 3, by P.
1 MS. J. leaf 107 recto.
BK. v] The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus 597
pBow Marchus Regulus, of his fre wil deied for
the comon wele.3 ^
W
HO can reh^rse or telle* the ground of K*^?s^fim
[d. 264.1 ^20-'. Was it
•^•^ •J by the influence
werns.
The firste cause of such mortal outrage* —
Wher it began bynfluence of sterris
Tween man and man, or of wilful rage, 424
As atween Romeyns & folkis of Cartage,
To gret hyndryng, considered the maneere,
Of bothe parties, as bookis doth us lere.
Italiens therwith wer greued ofte,
Namli whan Fortune was ther aduersarie.
And Affrican[e]s felte ful vnsofte,
Whan she to them list to be contrarie, —
Whos cours of custum stoundemeel doth varie,
Bexperience it hath be preued weel.
In the ouerwhelmyng of hir vntrusti wheel.
The moste worthi & the moste famous,
Affom remembrid upon ech partie.
Fortune to-day made hem victorious,
And to-morwe she dede ther myht deffie.
Now up, now douw; al stood in iupartie,
Lik as she list them fauoure, nih or ferre,
Ther losse, ther wynnyng callid fortune of werre.
To sum we weelwillid, happi & eurous.
To summe also ful straunge of aqueyntaunce;
Rekne among othir Marcus Regulus, 444
On Romeyn parti a prince of gret substaunce.
To be preferrid & put in remembraunce,
Oon the most worthi & trewe founde in deede
Of knihtli policie that I can of reede. 448
To comoun proffit was ay his aduertence,
Tween loue & hate stondyng so vpriht.
To nouther side declyned the ballaunce
Of his doomys, for fauour of no wiht, 452
Til that the eie off his inward siht
Conceyued hadde wher the trouthe stood:
Than gaff he sentence; & theron he abood.
of the stars or
the wilful rage
of man?
o Both the
420 Italians and the
Africans
suffered from
the variance of
Fortune,
432
to-day
victorious,
436 to-morrow
^^ vanquished.
440
Marcus
Regulus, a
great Roman
prince.
was one of
the most just
and upright
of men.
421.
427.
reherse or telle] telle or ReWrse B.
doth] don H, R 3.
1 MS. J. leaf 107 recto.
422. outrages B.
In all this
world there
was no better
knight, —
well-born,
handsome, and
of great
courage and
strength.
For his discre-
tion he was
chosen consul,
598 The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus [bk. v
In al this world ther was no bettir kniht, 456
Bettir named & born of good lynage,
A semli persone, delyuer & of gret myht,
Hardi as leouw, riht manli off visage,
Wal of the Romeyns, sharp yerd to Cartage, 460
Demure, nat hasti, seyng al thyng toforn;
And in Papynia I fynde that he was born.
And for he hadde so gret discreciouw.
This worthi kniht, this Marcus Regulus, 464
Chosen he was a consul of the toun.
And hadde a felawe callid Manlius,
In armys manli, wis and vertuous.
Which for ther expert notable* hih constaunce 468
Of Romeyn werris hadde the gouernauwce.
Ther shippis stuffed, maad a gret arme,
Ful prudentli with knihtli apparaille
Thes princis tweyne taken han the se; 47a
First with Sicilians hadde a gret bataille,
Discounfited hem, & at ther arryuaille
Outraied Amulchar, the stori is no fable.
That was of Affrik capteyw & constable. 476
Gat in that contre castellis many on,
Took prisoneres, stuff & gret richesse;
And al that pray* to Roome he sente anon
Bi Manlius, the stori berth witnesse. 480
And the Romeyns for his worthynesse,
Alle of assent, because he was so wis,
Prolongid han the terme off his offis.
Off knihtli noblesse was non onto hy w lik, 484
Nouthir in armys nor politik ordenauwce;
And for the conquest off Cartage & Affrik,
To hym thei gaff of bothe the gouernaunce.
Brouht citees, touM[e]s to the obeissauwce* 488
Of the Romeyns, this noble worthi kniht,
Wher-euer he rood, maugre ther foos myht.
Sf th°eTeigh- Be his feithful laborious dilligence
countrfes. ^^^ ^ ^^^ conttes to Cartage toun, 493
and together
with Manlius
he defeated
the Sicilians
and Hamilcar,
constable of
Carthage,
and sent great
plunder and
many prisoners
to Rome.
No one was
equal to him
in knighthood;
and he became
governor of
Africa and
Carthage.
456. al] om. H. 468. notable expert B, J, R 3, P.
477. that] J)e H. 479. pray] parti B, partie J.
484. R begins again here. ^iy. the] om. H.
488. the obeissauwce] his obeissaunce B, R, J.
493. vnto] to H.
BK. v] The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus 599
Til tidyngis cam vnto his presence, S^S^i^t
Beside a ryuer ther was a gret dragoun.
So horrible, as maad is menciouw,
That al the contre of hym stood in such doute, 496
No man durste neihhe hym ferre aboute.
An hundred feet & tueyne was his lengthe, £nd^'a°ncf
Lik as writeth Titus Lyuyus. ^^ ^^^ '°°8-
Was non so hardi, nor no man* of such strengthesoo
That durste approche; he was so venymous.
But bi the manhod of Marchus Regulus
Islay[e]n was this monstruous serpent.
And for a merueil the skyn to Rome sent. 504
Thus in conquest whil he dede his peyne [p. 265] J/f^t^ the
To gete castellis & myhti stronge touns, ^° Hasdmbais
Geyn hym wer sent Astruballis tweyne,
Callid of AfFrik the hardi champiouns, 508
With al the poweer of ther regiouns.
But as the stori maketh rehersaile,
Thei wer discounfited bothen in bataile.
Amulchar aftir cam with spere & sheeld 512 *^^ Hamiicar.
In difFence of AfFrik & Cartage;
And he was also distrussed in the feeld
With al his host[e], maugre his visage.
Thus Marchus hadde alway thauauntage, 516
Makyng the Romeyns, this kniht most vertuous,
Thoruh hih* prowesse to be victorious.
And wher that he in his tendre age J° hlfd'^S
List to laboure & tile his owne lond, 520 ¥^ °'^ ^"^^'
_, . ^ but now he
ror exercise & vertuous auauntage rode through
To holde the plouh & leede it with his hond, in bright sted.
Auoidyng slouthe, as ye shal vndirstond, —
Now thoruh al AfFrik with many worthi kniht 524
He rideth armed in steel & m allies briht.
496. stood] om. R.
498. hundrith H.
500. so] om. H, R — nor no man] man nor B, R, J.
503. was] as R.
506. gete] gret R.
507. hastruballis H.
510. the] ther H.
512. Amilchar P.
514. distrussed] distressid J, distressed P.
S18. hih] his B, R, J, P. 522. leede] losne H.
525] In steel and mailes he rideth armed bright J, P — maile H.
6oo The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus [bk. v
h^fougthT ^^^^ noble Mark, what-euer he hadde ado,
was victorious. He was in armys soueryn syneuleer;
A golden crown « 1 • i i t» r * 11
of laurel and And in the temple at Rome or Appollo 528
tiaory °were For hym was kept a crowne of fressh laureer,
him in Rome. FoFgid of gold, fret ful of stonls deer:
Ihkh^never ^^^ ^" ^^^ temple of louis was reserued
fades, is granted A Tobc of victorie, whicH He hath disserued. ^^a
to conquerors; >'>'
To these goddls, who can considre weel,
Of old custum ther rihtis to meynteene,
As for a thyng beyng perpetuel,
Which fadeth neuere of nature, thus I meene, 536
Isacrid is the fressh[e] laureer greene:
For causis tweyne grauwtid to conqueroMrs,
In marcial actis bi conquest maad victowrs.
for it betokens For the noblesse of this tre dyuyne 540
perseverance in Sheweth [bi] his odout in wisdam excellence;
foresight." Bi the grennesse, which neuer doth declyne.
Long abidyng of vertuous prudence;
The rounde crowne betokneth prouidence, 544
In signe onli, al knihtli gouernauwce
Taketh his guerdoun of long contynuaunce.
Their strength Thct sttengthe onli grauwteth hem nat the crowne,
alone does not -^-r , i i* i i , i •
entitle them to JNor a proud gyuwyug stablissheth nat per glone, 548
a crown, nor t> . 1. 1 • ^ ^l:
does a proud out petseuerauwce, who list muse or* rowne,
es?abiish^their GrauMteth to them & putteth in memorie
glory. f he triuwphe & palme of ther victorie.
The crowne of laureer, in stori it is told, 552
And of lubiter the riche robe of gold.
Thus Regulus Who cau dissemc, of alle thes giftes thre,
was honoured -, , ii-
by the Romans, Most appartcneth outo cheualtic,
Manli prowesse, wisdam, anon lat see, 556
Strengthe, hardynesse, conquest, policie? —
For the Romeyns kauhte a fantasie,
For his meritis notable & glorious
To magnefie this Marcus Regulus. 560
526. ado3 to do R.
532. robe3 robbe H.
541. bi] om. J — excellence] & excellence R, J.
548. begynnyng H.
549. or] & B, R.
554. disseme] discern H, discerne J, R 3, desceme P.
BK. v] The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus 60 1
For this Marcus duryng his lusti yeeris
Prynce of the werris geyn Affrik & Cartage,
Took alle ther yonge knihtis prisoneeris,
Sent hem to Rome for comoun auauntage.
But O, alas! whan he was falle in age,
The geri goddesse, among hir chaunges all^,
Ageyn this prince hir fauour made appalls.
For to withstonde the prowesse of this kniht, 568
In helpe of AfFrik, as maad is mencioun,
Cam Zantipus, of whom I spak now riht,
A myhti duk, the which[e] was sent doun
Fro Lacedemoyn; which thoruh his hih renouw, 572
Whan the poweer of Marchus gan to faille,
His mene slay[e]n, took hym in bataille, —
Into Cartage sent hym prisoneer;
And ther he lay in stronge cheynys bounde.
Loo, how Fortune chauwge can hir cheer.
Falsest of trust whan she is most iocounde;
First fauourable, aftir froward founde:
This hir maner with hir double face,
Folk that sit hiest to chaunge hem fro ther place.
For he that whilom hadde in subieccioun
Almost al AfFrik, & Cartage the cite.
Now lith he bounde & fetrid in prisoun, 584
Whilom in glorie, now in aduersite.
Cast in miserie from hih prosperite.
Fortunis fauours be maad, who looke weel,
Of brotel glas rather than of steel.
and during the
years of his
prime he took
all the young
knights of
Carthage
564 prisoner.
But when he
grew old,
Xanthippus
captured him
in battle
and sent him in
chains to Car-
»~g thage. Such is
^' the manner of
Fortune:
580
her favours are
of brittle glass
rather than of
steel.
This manli kniht, al-be that he lay cheyned, [p.
Which had brouht Rome to so hih encres.
That thei of AfFrik & Cartage wer constreyned
Vnto the Romeyns to pursue for a pes;
And for tacomplisshe this mateer dout[e]les,
Vndir assuraunce made in Cartage toun,
Thei took[e] Marcus anon out of prisoun.
Bounde bi his oth, ther is no mor to seyn.
He to be chaungid for AfFrik prisoneris;
Ther for tabide, & thei to come ageyn,
The yonge knihtis, fressh lusti of ther cheeris.
266]
Although
Regulus was
in prison, the
Carthaginians
were con-
strained to ask
592 the Romans for
a peace;
596
and they sent
him to
Rome under
oath, to be
exchanged for
their young
knights.
563. ther] the R. 580. ist hir] his R.
S90- to] vp to H, R 3.
6o2 The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus [bk. v
So that Marchus, feeble & old of yeeris, 600
Bi AfFncan[e]s was to Rome sent,
Bi oth assured, tacomplisshe ther entent.
Sed°hT moreFor the Romeyns hadde in such deynte
than all their fhis noblc Mark for manhod & prudence, 604
prisoners oi *^ ' ^
Carthage, And for the foorthryng of ther comounte,
Thei hadde his persone for wisdam in reuerence,
Cald of that toun ther wal & ther difFence,
Hadde in mor cheerte for knyhthod in that age 608
Than al ther prisoneris of AfFrik & Cartage.
hu^ deliverance! Romcyns grctli reioisshed of his comyng.
And specialli for his delyueraunce;
Alle attonis, of herte & trewe menyng, 612
Saide, "wolcom horn, our ioie, our* suffisaunce,
Wolcome, merowr of knihtli gouernaunce!"
This was ther vois & this was ther langage
At his repair from AfFrik & Cartage. 616
?rkTo?wekorae. ^^^ ^hus tesceyued lik to his estat
to'lh^'e'lenate, ' "^"^ conveied thotuh al the cite,
he said: NoBH preseutid up to the senat.
Began his tale, anon as ye shal see, 620
As he that hadde mor in cheer[i]te
The comoun proffit than his delyueraunce,
Saide onto them these woordes in substaunce:
le^Tas^ pTi*nce " Sites, bc thauys of you echon present, 624
AfHca°'''siven ^itst bi thestatis, next bi the comounte,
years have I As prince & cousul to AfFrik I was sent;
chastising the And, as yc kuowe, seuene yeer I haue ther be
rebels of that rr> i • in- r i
country. 1 o cfiastisc tebellis ot tfiat coutre, 628
And bi the fauour & helpe of Goddis myht.
To your cite aquit me lik a kniht.
grown old"' I" this mateet it needeth nat to tarie.
Fortune is no Yc kuowe yoursilfF I am now wexen old, 632
longer favour- . , •!-> • •
able to me; And Fortune IS to me contrane,
of Carthage wishWherbi your enmyes in AfFrik be maad bold.
in%xchang^ for And thei dcsirc me for to be sold
your prisoners, j^^ eschaung, bi shott couclusioun, 636
For prisoneres which ye* haue in the toun.
609. ther] \>t H.
612. trewe] of H, R 3, H 5. 613. our] & our B, R, J.
627. And] om. H — I haue ther] there I haue J, P.
637. ye] thei B, H, R, J, R 3 — the] ^is H, this R 3, P.
BK. v3 The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus 603
And bi the fauour of goddis hih In heuene,
And bi my felawes wis mediaciouw,
Contrees, provynces, mo than sixe or seuene 640
I haue in AiFrik maad subiect to this tou«,
Maugre ther myht & ther rebeUioun,
And them constreyned, lik as ye desire,
For tobeie vnto your empire. 644
To make yowr lordship* mor statli glorious,
And tencrece the boundis of your cite,
Whilom bi grace I was victorious,
Venquisshed your enmyes wher-euer I dede hew
see; 648
Now thoruh Fortunis mutabilite
Maad vnhappi & desolat of cheer, —
Sumtyme a prince & now a prisoneer.
Affom, my poweer bi Fortune was fraunchised, 652
Now am I thrall & fetrid in prisoun;
Myn olde triumphes be neweli now disguised.
And [my] victories oppressid & bor doun.
With this considered the transmutacioun 656
Of youthe passid & myn vnweeldi age,
Litil wonder thouh dul be my corage.
Yit ther is a thyng that draweth along my lyfF,
Which in myn herte hath sette gret gladnesse:
To yot^r encres how in this mortal strifF
Bi my labour & knihtli bisynesse
The marcial princis, famous in worthynesse.
With al the knihtis most soueryn of renoun
Souht thoruh AfFrik, be now in your prisoun.
Bi whos absence feeblid is Cartage;
The contre porisshed, brouht to disencres.
Seyng that I am dul and falle in age
Geyn AiFricans to put my-silfF in pres,
Causyng your enmyes [to] pursue for the pes
Beschaung of me, that may but smal auaile.
For AfFrik knihtis most expert in bataille. 672
"Once I was
a prince and
victorious; but
now I am a
prisoner of war.
"My former
triumphs are
transformed,
my victories
borne down, my
youth passed.
"Yet it cheers
me to know
660 ^**^ through
my labour you
have the best
knights of
Africa in your
prison,
664
which weakens
your enemies.
They now
ask to have
568 them back again
in exchange for
me.
641. this] his R.
645. lordship] Empire B, R, J,
655. &] an R.
659. a thyng] a nothir H, R 3 — that] om. J — along] a length P.
671. of] for H, R 3.
672. Affrik] be Affrik H, Jjafltrike R 3, the Auffryk H 5.
so that they
may begin
a new war
on your city.
604 The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus [bk. v
The! stonde in hope of ther delyueraunce [p. 267]
Beschauwg of me, now sent out of prisouw,
Of entent tencrecen ther puissauwce,
Of newe to gynne a werre upon yowr touw. 676
Now taketh good heed, & of discrecioun
Peiseth of prudence this thywg that I haue told,
Ther youthe considred, & I am feeble & old.
"I am feeble \ am consumyd & we red in the werris; 680
and old, they ^ • t r i i i
lusty and fresh; T ortunc coutrarie, 1 teeble to here armure:
Thei lusti fressh, ther name spredde ful ferr is.
And in the feeld thei able to endure.
I vnweldi, & lik a creature 684
Mor sembl[abl]e to drawe horn to my graue.
Than to be armyd this cite for to saue.
and I am more And in effect, I haue mor cheerfilte,
anxious for the ^^« r • i • i .
profit of your (Jt vetray teith withoute variauwce, 688
commonwealth xt i rr r
than for my Vnto the promt or your comounte
own «'^"^"«-Xhan to the mateer of my delyuerauwce;
Too thynges peised & weied in ballaunce:
Of Affrik knyhtis thexpert worthynesse, 69a
In me the constreynt off agis feebilnesse.
And to conclude upon this mateer,
I myhte neuere, as semeth onto me.
As of knihthod disseruen the laureer 696
Nor the tryuwphe in this famous cite.
Bet than deie tencrece the comounte.
And thus auised, of herte & hool corage
Yeld up the sperit of myn vnweeldi age." 700
In this purpos, he, stedfast as a wall,
Of o will and oon perseueraunce,
Hymsilff comendyng to goddis inmortall,
Ches for to deie off politik constaunce, 704
And to preferre bi notable purueyauwce
The comoun proffit : this was his motiff, —
Set aside good, tresour and his lyff.
he returned to Riht wccl cheeHd, Stable of his visage, 708
Of parfit loue he hadde onto the toun.
He is repaired ageyn onto Cartage,
676. newe] now R. 677. taketh] take H.
682. name] fame H, R 3, H 5.
685. semblable] seembly R.
702. oon] o H. 710. onto] in to H.
"I cannot do_
better than die
for the
community."
Persevering in
this intention.
arthagi
prisoner
712
At his departure
the Roman
yjg Senators grew
' pale with
compassion,
princesses and
ladies fell down
in a swoon and
the children
720 "''"'•
Never was there
a truer knight.
BK. vj Tbg Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus 605
Th articles kept and the condicioun
At the departyng from AiFrik regioun:
This to seyne, texpleite ther lust certeyne.
Or prisoneer he to resorte ageyn.
At his departyng the Romeyn senatowrs
Gan wexe pale off compassioun,
To seen the pauys of al ther old socowrs
As prisoneer departe out of the toun.
Princessis, ladies fill a-swowne doun;
Childre wepte & cried for pite,
"Farweel upholdere, cheeff wal of our* cite!"
Was euer founde any trewer kniht ?
Which of his owne feithful mocioun,
Wher he was free, & poweer hadde & myht,
Taue stonde at large hi his eleccioun,
To keepe his promis repaired to prisoun!
What shal I write of his noblesse or shewe ? —
To fynde oon lik hym, I reede but of a fewe!
And whan he cam ageyn with his massage,
Knowyng thentent of this worthi knyht,
Most furiousli the peeple of Cartage,
In the presence of euery maner wiht,
Ordeyned han a torment anon riht.
First the Hddis of his eien tweyne,
Thei kutte hem of to encrece his peyne.
That he nat sholde slepen in prisoun,
But euer wachche with peyne intoUerable,
And for the constreynt of his passioun
Crie & compleyne with sihhis lamentable.
And aftir this, thei token a pleyn table.
Fret ful of nailles sharp[e] whet & grounde,*
And therupon naked thei hym bounde.
Another table thei leide on hym alofFte,
Nailed also; and atween thes tweyne
Thei couchid hym; his* bed was ful vnsofFte,
Most importable, so hidous was the peyne;
The blood ran out of eueri senew & veyne.
This was his torment, alas, a cruel deth ! —
Of worthi Marchus til he yald up the breth.
711. tharticle H. 712. At] And R. 721. our] ther
728. reede but of] fynde but P — of] om. P.
729. his] this H. 741. grounde] Igrounde B, R, J.
745. his] this B, R, J, R 3, P.
724
728
The people of
Carthage,
furious in their
disappointment,
tortured him
by cutting off
732 his eyelids.
r and bound him
730 naked to a
table studded,
with sharp
nails,
740
744
beneath another
nailed table,
and let him
lie there till
he died.
748
B, J, R.
6o6 The Heroism and Death of Marcus Regulus [bk. v
S'lucra ""^ Who radde in bookes or euer dede see
steadfast prince? Qf any princis so stedfast & so stable
As whilom wern in Rome the cite,
Or in ther conquest so longe perdurable,
On vertu foundid, of corage vnchaungable!
Rekne up alle that euer wer in that tou«,
And to this Marchus mak no cowparisouw.
?cifpi\he glory Rekne Kamylles, Papires, Scipiouns, [p.
of the Camiiii, Notable worthi for many gret victorie;
rapini, ocipios, _-, ni i'*i
of Curtius and Rekue up allc ther othir* champiouws,
Fabricius, /^ • t-> i • r r
Cursius, r abricus ramous or memorie.
But this Regulus eclipseth al ther glorie
And surmounteth, bi report of renoun,
Al thes forsaid<? in comparisouw.
Ludus "scaurus.Rekne up the foure that whilom wer so riche,
^ius Deiius, f he firste of them callid Lucius,
Other tweyne of condicioun liche,
As was Scavrus & Gay us Deiius;
And forget nat the grete Emelius, —
But for al ther gret pocessiouw,
Make to Marchus no comparisouw.
Remembre on Crassus, of whom it is told.
The Assiriens to staunche his couetise
Pored in his throte, strangled hyw with gold;
So he deide, the stori doth deuise.
And thouh thes foure wendyn ha be wise,
Gretli comewdid thoruh fals oppynyouw.
Of them to Marchus mak no comparisoun.
f^ledom^ind Touchyng this Mark, lat men beholde & see:
^eaith^behmd Hg lefFte his ttesour, his fredam & richesse,
for the welfare And for the ptoffit of the comountc
18 country, p^j-g^^jj^ pjjg ffgendis, Bochas berth witnesse;
To foorthre his tou« deied in distresse.
To keepe his feith resorted to prisouw, —
Mak of non othir to hym comparisouw.
and Crassus,
whose throat
the Assyrians
poured full of
molten gold.
752
7S6
268]
760
764
768
772
776
780
784
752. in] in the R.
759. othir] worthi B, R, J.
762. of] & H, R 3, H 5.
766. condiciouns H.
771, 72 are transposed in R.
771. on] of R.
BK. V]
An Envoy on Marcus Regulus
607
Myn auctottr heer put In remewbrauwce
Sumwe that hadde gold, stonis & perre,
Summe that hadde of richesse habuwdaunce,
And of othir that stood in dignite,
And summe that hadde worldli prosperite, —
Set al aside, & conclude on resoun,
Tween them & Marchus is no comparisouw.
Princis may lyue aftir ther ententis,
Aftir ther lustis, after ther delices.
Of gold & purpure were riche garnementis,
Aftir ther poweer frowardli in vices,
Graunte ther mynistris in cites gret offices, —
Tween al ther pompe & veyn ambicioun
And atween Mark mak no comparisoun.
Alle these thynges remembred in certeyn,
Weel considred & Iput in mynde,
Ther wer* in Rome but fewe such[e] seyn.
To comoun proffit that founde wer* so kynde.
And, til I may such another fynde
In al this book[e], tumyng up-so-doun,
I will to hym make no comparisoun.
Some men had
great riches;
others stood in
high dignity, or
in worldly-
prosperity.
788 Make no
comparison
between them
and Marcus.
,_ Princes may live
79^ according to
their desires and
wear rich
garments of
gold and purple;
but between all
their pomp and
79" vain ambition
and Marcus
make no
comparison.
Nor will I do
80 until I find
gOQ another such.
804
[LenVOye.3
THIS tragedie, who '^at caw take heede,
Is entermedlid vfith wo & gladnesse :
loie for [the] worshep & synguler manhede
That was in Mark bi excellent noblesse;
To reede his fall it is gret heuynesse.
Which ches to deie, wher-as he stood[e] fre,
Onli for proffit of the comouwte.
To keepe his oth, pleynli, as I reede,
Maad in Cartage, ther beyng in distresse,
This noble prince constreyned off no neede.
But of fre will, myn auctowr doth expresse.
Fro Rome ageyn[e] thidir gan hym dresse
To suffre torment, off his free volunte,
Onli for proffit of the comounte.
In this tragedy
are mingled joy
for the manhood
of Marcus and
808 sorrow for
his fall.
812
Of his own free
will he chose to
die for the
profit of the
community.
816
786. perre] peerle H.
790. aside] on side H.
802. wer] was, B, R, J.
789. And]ofH, R3.
801. wer] was B, R, J, P,
808. the] om. R.
6o8 The odious Tyrant Ptolemy Philopator [^bk. v
bi crownef wS This stori sholde crowned been in deede 820
golden letters. With golden lettres, for to bern witnesse,
How [the] seid Mark, hauyng of deth no dreede,
To sette Rome fro werre in sekirnesse, —
Whos hih renouw, most souereyn of prowesse, 824
May neuer eclipse bi non antiquite,
Which ches to deie to foorthre the comouwte.
the fewirjf'^ H^ disserued for to han the meede^
triumph, the Qf tryumphc and marcial worthynesse, 828
purple fret with And of lubitcr to werc the purpil weede,
precious stones -p-. r i r • i i-ri-i
and the laureate r tet lul ot stonis, most heuenli or brihtnesse,
^ttor».° The laureat crown conseruyng his grenwesse,
Graunted to victours, who list considre & see, — 832
Which ches to deie to foorthre the comouwte.
who'govern'the Noble Princis, which that gouerne & leede
w^rid^take'heed-^^ worldU pceple, taketh heed in your hyhnesse
to this story, To this stori, ttcwe as is the creede, 8^6
snd let wlarcus #-»-» ^^^
be to you a Takyng exauwple, doth yoMr bisynesse
Ay to supporte & meynteene rihtwisnesse.
And lat Marchus to you a merowr be,
Which ches to deie to foorthre the comouwte. 840
[How Tholome kyng of Egipt callid Philopater slouh
fader & moder & his wif in lechery spende his
lif & mischeuesly ended.] ^
mirror.
NEXT to Bochas in ordre compleynywg, [p. 269]
Vicious of lyfF, ther cam Tholome
Next in order,
Ptolemy
Philopator, who
dew his father, ^-, , , y^, ., - .^ .
mother and Cald Philopater, & was of Egipt kywe.
sister, appeared -^ , , .,, i -'o
complaining to In tendtc age bornble cruelte 844
°^ *'■ Slouh fader, mooder & suster, ye may see,
He to be crownid, it is maad menciouw.
To regne allone in that regeouw.
S'everVviS^^ ^^ was disposed onto eueri vice, 848
tlfeTnd^Ypent''^''^^^'^^ ^° vertu & to al docttyne,
his youth in Slouh his wifF callid Erudice,
not and outrage, t rr i • i i
Leitt his spouse, took a concubyne.
Wasted his lyfF, gaw hymsilf enclyne 852
To al riot, surfet & outrage;
And in this wise he spent his yonge age.
822. the] om. J.
841, in ordre to Bochas R 3, P. 843. &] that P, H 5.
horrible] horrible R, bi horrible H, J, R 3, be horryble,
S, by horrible P. 848. onto] to H. 850. Euridice P.
1 MS. J. leaf 109 recto.
%
BK. v3 The Wars oj Britomaris and the Romans 609
Thus was disclaundred his rolal mageste,
In lecherous lustis wachched al [the] niht, 856
A-bedde til noon, ageyn al honeste,
Of fals excesse shoop hyw anon riht,
Whan he aroos, to drynke* ageyn[e]s myht
Gorge upon gorge tafForce his lecherie. 860
The longe day he spente in glotonye.
I wexe weri the processe for to write
Of this tiraunt, vicious and wood.
It is contagious the processe to endite,
Because thexaumple doth harm & no good.
And of vengaunce thus with hym it stood:
Of sodeyn myscheefF I reede he dide fyne,
Enbracid in armys of his concubyne.
Agothodia pleynli was hit name,
And hadde a sone callid Agathodes,
Vicious bothe & sclaundrid bi difFame,
Noised by report, thei wer so rek[e]les. 872
Bothe attonis take in a sodeyn pres.
With ther allies alle attonis fett,
And bi iust doom lad to the gibett.
Against all
decency he lay
abed till noon,
and ituffed and
drank until
night to fortify
his lust.
It is tiresome
and odious to
write about
this tyrant.
864 His example
does harm and
no good. He
died suddenly
in the arms of
his concubine,
Agathoclea; and
she and her
son and aU
their kin were
afterwards
hanged.
868
[How Abithomart/5 & viridomarws dukis of Fraimce,
aftir grete batailes bi Romayns were slayn.] ^
NEXT Philopater, callid Tholome,
Ver cam in ordre a worthi duk of Frauwce,
Abitomarus; & out of that contre
Rood into Grece with a gret puissaunce.
And first he gan to make his ordenauwce
Ageyn Romeyw[e]s, al-be thei wer ferre,
Proudli with them for to gynne a werre.
But thei of Rome to ther confusioun,
Bi ther bisshoppis & preestis gan deuise
To vse a cursid fals supersticiouw:
Vnto ther goddis in ful cruel wise
To offre up men banewe sacrefise,
856. the] om. R.
859. drynken B. 868. Enbracyng in ^e Armys H.
869. Agathodia J, Agathoclea P. 874. allej both H.
878. Britomarus P,
885. fals cursid H, R 3. 887. banewe] bi newe R.
^ MS. J. leaf 109 verso.
o-fi After Ptolemy
^70 PhUopator
came
Britomaris,
who rode from
France into
Greece and
made war on
ooO Rome.
The Romans
had a cursed
custom of
burying people
alive as an
offering to their
gods.
6io
The Wars of Britomaris and the Romans [^bk. v
and now they
took ten of the
French and
Greeks, five
men and five
women, and
sacrificed them:
but their gods
were angry.
In this year,
S2I after the
foundation,
Rome was
governed by
three consuls,
And* burie hem quyk, in Bochas thus I reede, 888
Bi a fals hope thei better for to speede.
Of Fraunse & Grece thei took[e] ten in nouwbre,
HalfF men & women, togidre tweyne & tweyne;
And bi fals moordre thei dede hem encouwbre, 892
Buried hem quik — ther deth was ful sodeyne.
At this sacrefise the goddis gan disdeyne,
And to the Romeyns wex contrarious
For ther fals rihtis supersticious. 896
And bi record of olde cronicleres,
The yeer fyue hundred fro ther fundacioun
And on & twenti, tho beyng consuleris
Thre in nouwbre, as maad is menciouw, 900
Which gouernyd & reuled al the tou«.
The firste callid Lucius Emylius,
And the secouwde Catulus Gains,
Attilius Regulus the thridde consuleer.
Ts^fgi^d^V /A.ttums Keguius tne tnriaae consuieer. 904
defend°the dt ^^ ^ ^^^ seuat ordcyucd wer thes thre.
As I haue told, the silue same yeer
For to gouerne & reule ther cite.
And to preserue hem from al aduersite 908
Ageyn too peeplis, of Gaule & Lumbardie,
Which than werreied of malis. & envie.
fo"many^ ^'^'^ C)f which[e] wetr^ the Romeyws stood in doute,
ot°hCT^feU^ ^^^ '^^^ senatOMrs & alle the citeseyns, 912
foreigners, Because ageyu them ther caw so gret a route
Of Lumbardis bi this halfF the mounteyns,
loyned togidre with many fell foreyns.
Which stood departid, as maad is remewbrauwce, 916
Fro them of Rome & fro ther obeissaunce.
barbarous and
savage, and
unreasonable
in their fury,
The peeple rud[e], bestial & vnstable,
Togidre assemblid, wood & furious,
Of multitude verray inwumerable,
Vengable of herte, of corage despitous.
Void of al resouM, sodenli furious.
As seith Bochflj-, I can no ferther gon; —
Ther soudiours bar gisarmys euerichon.
930
924
And] To B, R, J, P — thus] as H, R 3.
" " " ~ ■ " At] And R.
889. theiJtheR3, Hs, P.
896. ther] the R.
903. Catalus Caius P. 907.
912. 2nd the] their H.
894.
reule] om. R.
908. fro H.
BK. v] The Wars of Britomaris and the Romans
6ii
And Gisarmes of Gisarme* thei wer callid.
Toward Rome them hastyng day be day,
Of gret labour the footmen sore appallid;
But al* ther trust on multitude lay.
Of whos komyng Roome stood in affray,
And specialli the consuleris thre,
That out wer sent to fihte for the cite.
Foure score thousand, as writ the cronycleer,
Mihti [men] to stonden at difFence,
In his felasheepe hadde ech consuleer.
And of the Gysarme3 noumbred in sentence,
Thre hundred thousand, bi sturdi violence
Goyng on foote, I fynde that thei hadde,
Eihte thousand ouer, that al the feeldis spradde.
I rekne nat them that rood on hors[e]bak.
Which sexe & thretti thousand wer in noumbre,
Sixe hundred ouer, purposed for the wrak,
Fynalli the Romeyns to encoumbre.
The shad we of them gaff so gret an ouwbre.
That on the soil, which affom was greene,
Ther was vnwethe any sonne seene.*
Ther capteyn was Abithomarus,
A manli man & a'ful worthi kniht.
And with hem wente Virydomarus,
A-nother capteyw, in steel armyd briht.
Tween them and Romeyws longe laste the fiht;
But on the parti of Rome the cite
Was slayn a consul that was oon of the thre.
Aftir whos deth, of fortune anon riht.
On the parti of them of Rome toun
Eihte* hundred thousand took hem to the fliht.
And thus began the fame & the renoun
Of Abithomarus, as maad is mencioun.
Of which victorie his herte was maad fayn.
And on his parti wer thre thousand slayn.
[p. 27OJ Romans stood
in great dread.
928
Although each
932 consul had an
army of four
score thousand
men, they were
outnumbered by
their enemies.
who covered
the earth with
QdO ^^^''' shadow,
"^ and were led by
Britomaris and
Viridomarus.
944
948
952
In the battle
one consul was
slain, and
8oo,cxx3 of the
Romans fled.
956
925. Gisarme] Gisarmes B, R, J, P,
928. al] ay B, R, J, P.
933. men] om. MSS., P. 934. consuleer] a Consuler H.
935- the] om. H, R 3 — number P. 941. hundreth R,
944. which^ ^at H. 945. seene] sheene B, R, J, shene P.
947. worthi] manly H. 952. the] om. R.
955. Eihte] viij B, One P. 957. Britomanis P.
6l2
Then the
Romans rallied
and slew
40,000
Gisarmes.
960
964
They fought
once more
beside the
Po;
The Defeat and Death of Britomaris [^bk. v
But the Romeyns resorted been ageyn;
And aftir that hadde a strong bataille.
And in the feeld so manli thei wer seyn,
And so proudli ther enmyes dide assaille,
That, as myn aucto^r mak[e]th rehersaille,
Of the Gisarmes, longe or it was niht,
Fourti thousand wer slayn in that fiht.
The thridde tyme, with helpe of them of France
loyned to Lombardes & folk of Gaule also, 968
Thei fauht ageyn, al out off ordenauwce.
Beside the ryuer that caUid is the Poo,
Wher bothe batailles togidre hadde adoo.
And, as I fynde, consuleris tweyne 972
The Romeyn sheltrouws knihtli did ordeyne.
Romans, led Manlius Torquat callid was the ton;
Tor^atu"and Flamynus Flakkus was wit^ hym ifeere:
FiaSL'^s'^siew "^"^ ^^^^ ^^^ Romeyns togidre forth* thei gon 976
49.000 of their Toward that ryuer with a ful manli cheere;
In which bataille, the stori doth vs lere,
Nyne and fourti thousand slayn on that day
Of ther enmyes, that non ne wente away. 980
Britomaris was
made prisoner
and led to the
Capitol in
chains.
Abithomarus was take prisoneer,
In tokne of tryuwphe brouht to Rome tou«,
To the Capitoile, with a ful pale cheer,
Lad bounde in cheynis, ther geyned no rauwsoun: 984
Thus hath Fortune appallid his hih renouw.
And in tokne of his disconfiture,
OfFrid to goddis was his cote armure.
A^ThreaK' Thus Lachesis his lyues threed gan drawe
ViridimaruswasTjl.Antropos it brak with ful gret peyne.
fidd *° ^^^ Viridomarus, that was his fellawe,
Slayn in the feeld bi Romeyws in certeyne.
And of thes [noble] worthi princis tweyne,
This was the eende & the mortal fall.
The feeste accomplisshed callid funerall.
988
992
973. The] To R. 974. the] t)at H.
975. Flamynus] Flamyn R, ].
^76. togidre forth] forth togidre B, J, P — forth] forsooth R.
977. that] t)e H — ful] om. H. 978. In] I H.
981. Britomarus P — taken H.
988. His lives threde thus Lachesis H, R 3, H 5.
989. ful] om. H. 992. noble] om. MSS., P.
BK. v3 It was a Time of uncouth Signs and Tokens 613
And in the tyme of thes mortal werris
Atween thes dukes & them of Rome toun,
Many toknis wer shewed in the sterris,
Merueilous lihtnyngis fro the heuene doun.
And many an vnkouth constellacioun;
Sondri cometes dide in the walkyn appeere, —
Who seeth ther stories may the trouthe lere.
The water of Pitene, that renneth in Itaille,
Which in that contre is a famous flood.
The same hour & tyme of ther bataille,
As seith the stori, was tumid into blood.
Fires in the hair, most furious & wood.
That mihti tours wer with the flawmes brent;
Thre moonys appeeryng in the orient.
996
At the time of
these mortal
wars many
strange tokens
were shewn in
the stars,
marvelous
lightnings,
comets and
Tru-io "Q'^outh
iooo constellations.
The waters of
a river were
turned into
blood; fires
1004 burnt high in
the air; and
three moons
were seen in the
east.
1008
The peeple for feer fledde into lowe kauis, [p. 271]
For dreed wex pale & dedli of ther cheer;
And in thre daies wer thre erthe-quauis.
Duryng thes werris and in the same yeer.
Of gret AppoUo fill doun the pilleer
Of marbil whit, large and of gret strengthe,
That sexti cubitis acountid was the lengthe.
And in that tyme, the stori seith nat nay.
Of Rome a consul with a gret puissaunce,
Callid Claudius, slouh upon a day
Thretti thousand, & brouht hem to myschaunce.
Of the soudiours that cam out of Fraunce.
And ther was slayn, with many a capteyw lorn,
Viridomarus, of whom I spak tofom.
To his gret shame and confusioun,
As it is remembred be scripture.
The Romeyns made a gret oblacioun
Vp to lubiter of his cote armure.
And in tokne of his disconfiture,
Withynwe that temple, of gold betyn cleer,
To his despiht thei heng up his baneer.
The people
fled for fear
into caves; for
in three days
there were
three earth-
10 1 2 quakes, and
the marble
pillar of great
Apollo feU
down.
•r^-rf, Claudius, a
^°^" consul, slew
30,000 Gauls
in battle;
1024
and to the
shame and
confusion of
the dead
Viridomarus, his
coat armour and
golden banner
were offered as
an oblation
1028 '° J°^^
998. lihtenjmg frome H.
I0CX3. walkyn] wakyn R.
looi. ther] thes R — may] he may H, R 3.
1020. the] ther H — cam] om. R.
1021. was] om. R — with] & H.
6i4 The Story of Syphax, King of Numidia [bk. v
[How Siphax of Munedie k3mg was take & deied
in prisoun.] ^
f'^akVb"riefl ILJEER Bochflj brceffli for a remembrance
of the war A A Writeth of wems, debatis & batailes
Hannibal and That wer ^ut tyvcit In Itaille & France, 1032
wort y cipio, j^ Spaigne, Chauwpayne, with marcial apparailles.
And among othir in his rehersailles,
He tellith in AfFrik the gret[e] discenciouw
Atween Hanybal & worthi Scipioun. 1036
and then turns He touchith ther namvs & abit nat longe;
to Syphax, king., , • i i • i i -i
of Numidia, Vpon thet stoFies he bit nat but a while,
Heer nat rehersyng ther myhti werris stronge,
Nor of ther stryues he doth heer nat compile, 1040
• But doun descendyng, directeth foorth his stile
For to reherse & telle be writyng
The fall of Siphax in Munedie kyng.
who defeated This said[e] Siphax batailles hadde tweyne, 1044
two battles. Oon with kyng Gabba, [&] he of verray myht
M"a'sinissa! '"^^'Haddc cck another, in which he dede his peyne
Jttirom\\i° To meete Masmyssa afFtir anon riht.
conL'rTwhh And bothe kynges he putte to the fliht. 1048
^°^Yl^ *!"* A And of Messulie, I fynde be writyng,
wild beasts and yyf.it 'J i
live on roots How Masmyssa was gouernoMr & kyng.
This said[e] Siphax thoruh his cheualrie
Maad Masmyssa to fleen his regioun, 1053
Constreynyng hym to lyue be robberie,
To walke in forestis with beestis up & douw.
And for difFaute, as maad is menciouw,
To saue his lifF he fond no bet refFut, 1056
But fedde hymsilfF on rootes & on frut.
Even his name Qut of his Teum Masmyssa was enchaced,
was forgotten m., i n r i-
his own land. And constteyned to neen rrom his centre;
Fro mynde of folk his name was out raced, 1060
For no man wiste wher he sholde be.
His liegemen & folk of his cite,
Thoruh al AfFrik knew no bettir reed
OfF his persone, but dempte that he was ded. 1064
103 1, of] om. J — bataill H.
1032, &] & in H, R 3. 1033. apparalleH, R 3,H 5.
1034. rehersaileH, rehersaill R 3. 1038. nat] om. R.
1040. heer nat] nat her H. 1043. Numedy P.
1045. Gabba] Galba H, R 3, Gala P.GablaH 5 — &]om. RJ.
1047. Masinissa P. 1049. Massile P. 1053. be] in R.
^ MS. J. leaf no recto.
BK. v] The Story of Sypbax, King of Numidia
615
Thus of kyng Siphax encrece gan the glorie,
Which bi force too kynges hath outraied,
And upon them wonnen the victorie,
Put hem to fliht & the peeple afFraied;
That Rome & Cartage wer of hym dlsmaied.
And ech of them dede ther labour
Of ther werris to make hym gou^rnour.
Vnto [this] Siphax, out of Rome toun,
As it is write for a memoriall,
To Numedie was sent Scipioun
For this mateer in especiall.
Out of Cartage was sent Hastruball;
And at the castell wher Siphax lay,
Bothe tweyne arryuqd at o day.
And be pleyn writyng as I haue conceyued.
And as the stori remembreth in sentence.
At ther comyng bothe wer resceyued
Of kyng Siphax with gret[e] reuerence.
And thoruh his notable manli dilligence.
As it is Iwrityn be record,*
He made thes capteyns hertili of accord.
That thei togidre lay the same niht,
Thei hadde of Siphax so gret surete,
Be promys maad, as he was trewe kniht.
That nouther of them sholde deceyued be.
But ther was founde ful gret duplicite
Folwyng afFtir, who-so can take heede,
Lik as this storie shal deuise in deede.
For bi the fraude & falsnesse most mortall [p.
Compassed befor[e]n, it is thus befalle,
That bi the sleihte of this Hastruball, —
As AfFrican[e]s be nih double alle,
Vnder sugre can hide weel ther galle, —
So Hastruball bi fals decepcioun
Vnder fair cheer deceyued Scipioun.
He brouht in Siphax bi fals sotilte.
And bi his sleihti peynted fair langage.
That he sholde with hym allied bee.
Be ful assent to hauen in mariage
1066. hath] had R. 1072. this] om. R, J, P
1084. record] good record B, R, J, P.
1096. double nyh H, doubill nyh R 3.
1 100. fals] his H, R 3, hys H 5.
Thus the glory
of Syphax
increased; and
both Rome and
Carthage
sought to make
1068 him their
general.
From Rome
^"7* Scipio was sent
to him, from
Carthage
Hasdrubal.
1076
Both were_
received with
1080 ^"^ respect;
1084
both were given
the same
promise.
1088
1093
272]
But by the
duplicity of
Hasdrubal,
1096
Sophonisba in
marriage, and
thereby induced
to side with
Carthage.
6i6
Scipio was
deceived.
The Story of Syphax, King of Numidia [byl. v
Sophonlsba, a maiden of Cartage, 1104
Which was douhtir, yong & fa[i]r withal,
As seith Bochas, to this Hastrubal.
The which[e] thyng be crafFt was brouht aboute
And acomplisshe[d] verraily in deede. 1108
And bi this mene, pleynli out of doute,
Ther first began rancour & hatreede,
Symulaciouw, feynyng & falsheede.
That atween Siphax & Hastrubal, alas, 1112
Scipioun was deceyued in this caas.
And aftir that doon was this mariage,
Siphax ful enmy vnto* Siploun,
1116
X124
1 128
After his
marriage,
and Hasdrubai With Hasttubal rood into Cartage
the Romans" And gan wetreie ageyn[e]s Roome toun.
And in this while, as maad is menciouw,
Kyng Masmyssa out of wildirnesse
Toward Scipioun in al haste gan hym dresse.
and Masinissa, With his pccplc gan to make hym strong
witTIcipf"' Thoruh help of Scipioun & of Bellius,
Wente ageyn Siphax, & abood nat long,
His herte ageyn hym was so envious.
And on a day, the stori tellith thus,
With AfFricanys & folkis of Cartage,
Siphax the Romeyns mette in the visage.
helped him take^f Masmyssa the peeple wer so wood
Vpon Siphax auengid for to bee,
Thoruh ther batailles cam to hym ther he stood,
And maugre hym and [al] his cruelte.
Of verray manhod — space was non to flee — 1132
Thei brouhte hym hom thoruh ther hih renoun
Into the handis of worthi Scipioun.
Siphax was take thus or he was war,
Vndir his baneer, maugre al his myht, 1136
And into Rome lad afforn the chaar
Off Scipioun, the noble worthi kniht.
That wan the tryuwphe, grauntid hym of riht.
And Sophonisba, afForn to Siphax wifF, 1140
Weddid to Masmysse at theende of al this strifF.
1 1 14. And] Anoon H, Anon R3. 1115. vnto] to this B, R, J.
1 1 16. into] in R.
1 122. 2nd of] om. H. 1127. mett |)e Romayns H.
1 128. wer] was R, H, 1130. bataile H.
1 13 1, al] om. R, J. 1 141. Masmyssa H.
vengeance on
Syphax, who
was captured
and led
risoner to
ome.
I'
BK. v3 Nobis, the Usurper of Macedonia 617
Loo, how Fortune chaunge can hir tides! ^fiS*'^*"
To oon this day she can be fauourable, L^'^h^i^'
Make capteyns & thes grete guides, 1144 Fortune can
Which wende ha founde hir wheel ferme & stable. friendly today.
But that she is ay froward & chaungable, duSrd^Ts*''
Freendli to-day, to-morwe at discord, — f^^l}" "°
YifF this be trewe, Siphax can ber record. 1148
This Siphax was sent out of the toun %^l^'fj
In cheynys bounde withoute mor tarieng, Rome""*^ '"*
And at Tibumy lay fetrid in prisoun,
Deied at myscheefF, made ther his eendyng. 115a
And for because that he was a kyng.
The Romeyns made, of marcial pite,
Hym to be buried withynne ther cite.
[How Nabyn hauyng no title but bi tiraraiye took
on him to be ^ng of Macedoyne was slayne.] ^
NEXT cam Nabyn, ful pitousli weepyng, 1156 S^^sfX'"'
Tofor lohn Bochaj, which be tirannye without title.
•' took upon
Off Macedoyne took on hym to be kyng, tim to be king
TT •! rr-irii- °' Macedonia,
Hauyng no title sauit title or robbene,
Onli bi force hymsilf to magnefie; 1160
Which with strong hand took fals* pocessioun
For to be crownyd in thiike regioun.
This Macedoyne, as be old writyngis, flow«°^1i'teth
Whilom was had in ful gret reuerence, 1164 knighthood and
Because onli it floured in too thynges,
Bothe in knihthod & souereyn sapience;
Mars ther bi manhod, Pallas be prudence:
And whil thes tweyne hadde gouernauwce, 1168
Of al weelfare thei hadde sufiisaunce.
And whil the noblesse of thes thynges tweyne, tibei^'w"
That is to seyne, the flour of hih clergie, things lasted,
_,,,., -^ ' - o ' that kingdom
ine nin renoun most ramous & souereyne 1172 was as a sun
Of marcial prowesse & of cheualrie,
Gouerned that lond bi prudent* policie.
Than stood that kyngdam, auctOMrs reherse konne,
Among the Greekis lik an heuenli sonne. 11 76
1 144. thes] othir H. 1145. ferme] firme R —ferme &] om. J, P.
1156. Nabis P. 1158. to]om. R. 1146. that] om. R.
1161. fals] ful B, R, J. 1163. Lacedemoine P.
1 167. Pallas] Pallas ther H.
1 174. prudent] newe B, J, P, new R.
^ MS. J. leaf III recto.
6i8 The Death of King Nobis [|bk. v
Sht^wal'^ '" ^"* ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ eclipsed was the liht [p. 273]
darkened, when Bothc of knlhthod and philosophle,
covetousness ttti • -i
and tyranny Whan couetisc gan cntren ageyn riht
For to vsurpe upon the regalie, 1180
By* intrusiouM of fals[e] tirannye,
And bextort force made ther entrynges,
Hauyng no title ther to* regne as kynges.
thiloWe^se'^of' ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ cause, for short conclusiouw, 1184
Greece was That the noblesse of Grece was brouht[e] bas,
And Macedoyne brouht to confusiouw
Be couetise, that set hem in such caas,
Wherby* ther knihthod fulli translatid was 1188
And ther policie, in cronicle ye may see,
Out of Grece to Rome the cite.
ti^Lfs wai' ^^^ among other, bi deer remewbra[u]nce,
Nabis. hated by Of such titauntis bi ordre rehersyng, 119a
Nabyn was oon, that hadde gouernaunce
In Macedoyne, & was ther crownyd kyng,
Withoute title falsli ther regnyng.
And for his froward contagious cruelte 1196
He was behatid of Rome the cite.
as well as by The Romeyns sente a myhti consuleer,
nisown subjects. /-p» i-^| • > r 1 • • 1
He was first 1 itus T lammms, or ther werris guide;
by Titus To Macedoyne he gan approche neer, uoo
Fiamimus, Toward Argos wher Nabyn dede abide,
Of entent[e] for tabate his pride.
But whil Nabyn stood hiest in estat,
Of Grece his lieges wer with hym at debat. 1204
and in the A duk IcalHd Pfhlilopomones,
CQQ overthrown *• ■* i ^
by Phiiopoemen With the pceplc that duellid in Grece-lond,
Aicxamenus. To stryuc with Nabyn put hymsilf in pres,
Disconfited hym, fihtyng bond of bond; 1208
And at gret myscheefF, ye shal vndirstond,
Alexamenes, a kniht of that contre,
Slouh this Nabyn, the cronicle ye may see.
1 177. 2nd the] ther H.
1 181. By] But B, R, J.
1 182. force] wrong H, R 3.
1 183. to] for to B, R 3.
1 1 84. cheef] om. H.
1 188. Whereby] Therbi B, R, J.
1205. A] And R.
1209. at] a H 121 1, cronicle] story H.
BK.
V]
The Wars between Rome and Carthage
619
[Here Bochas reherceth the mortal werrys betwix
Romayns & AffricanysJ ^
^ AiFtir this Nabyn, Bochoj- doth proceede
To telle the werris & the mortal stryues
Tween Romeyns & Affricanys in deede,
Wherbi ful many loste ther her lyues.
Caused wydwes, maydnes & eek wyues
To weepe and waile, in such disioynt thei stood.
On outher parti to seen the loSse of blood.
For the parti of them off Roome toun
Wer maad capteyns & dyuers officeres,
Which into AfFrik with peeple wer sent doun.
And specialli ther wer too consuleeris.
Notable in armys and famous in tho yeeris:
Marcus Manlius, born of the Romeyn lyne;
The tothir callid Lucyus Consoryne.
With them was sent a tribun ful notable,
Of whom tofFom I made mencioun,
For the werris most worthi & most hable,
I meene of Rome prudent Scipioun,
Which of ther cite was cheuest champioun.
Of hool entent thafFricanys tanoye.
And specialli Cartage to destroye.
And nih be Cartage ther was a cite strong,
Mihtili bilt, & stood upon the se,
The wallis thikke, round[e], squar & long,
CheefF difFense callid of that contre.
To saue & keepe hem from al aduersite.
And fourti cubitis, with crestis marcial,
Lik as I fynde, of heihte was the wal.
And in the frount, reised for the werre.
Of stonis squar[e] was an hih dongoun
Callid Birsa; fro which wonder ferre
Men myhte beholde the contres enviroun.
And, as I reede, for ther sauacioun
ThafFricanys of purpos did ordeyne
For ther capteyns Hastrubalis tweyne.
1215. Wherbi] Therbi R.
1217. thei] the R. 1225. Censoryne P.
1 23 1, the AfFricans P.
1242. from R.
1 MS. J. leaf III recto.
121 2 Bochas now
proceeds to tell
about the wars
between Rome
and Carthage.
1216
Among the
Roman captains
1220 were Marcus
Manlius, Lucius
Censorinus and
Scipio.
1224
1228
1232
Near by-
Carthage
was a strong
city upon the
sea, the chief
, defence of
^230 that country.
1240
1244
In it was a
high keep
called Byrsa.
The Africans
chose two
Hasdnibals to
be their
captains.
620 The Wars between Rome and Carthage [bk. v
Scipio laid The said[e] dongouw, myhtlli batailed,
siege to Byrsa . i • j o i
and broke down Agcyii al sautis to stondeii & cndurc: 1248
parte t ewa , g^^ worthi Sclpioun, foF al that, hath nat failed
For taproche & doon hi besi cure,
With his engynes myhti, strong & seure;
So that be force, this kniht most marciall, 1252
A gret quantite brak dou« of the wall.
while Lucius and And Lucyus, calUd Sensoryne,
forth to give Dcpartid is with Marcus Manlius,
on"o1fthe And bi the couwsail of Scipioun & doctryne, 1256
Hasdrubais, Bothe of assent, in armis vertuous,
Thei took ther way, myn auctour tellith thus,
With Hastrubal, sothli & thei myhte,
Wher as he lay that same day to fihte. 1260
whom they Thes consulctis assailled the cite [p. 274]
slew together CalUd Citic, & beet adoun the wall,
Carthaginians Slouh foutti thousand, the cronicle ye may see,
in irr a. q£ AffrJcanwys be vengauwce ful mortall. 1264
And ther constable callid Hastruball
Was slayn that day bi them*, it is no doute,
That he most trustid & next wer hyw aboute.
In the mean- And in this while, most manli of corage, 1268
entered CarthageThe WOrthi ttibun, PubUuS ScipioUM,
and took all ■!->• /• • • ^ • r^
the inhabitants oi vcrray lorce IS entrid m L-artage;
prisoner, ^^j ^j^^ daies, as maad is mencioun,
He and his knihtis constreyned so the touw, 1272
That disespeired, with ther dedli cheeris,
Thei of the touw yald[e] hem prisoneeris,
who begged that Meekli reoueryng vnto Scipiouw,
they might be „ ^ , "^ ^. , . ,
allowed to live lo resccyue hem m this mortal rage; 1276
pay thtTRomans That men & womwen duellyng in that toun
a tribute. With the citeseyus, yong & old of age,
Mihte abide & lyuen in seruage
Vnder the Romeyns, ther was no bet refFut, 1280
And yeer bi yeer paie hem a tribut.
1248. assautis H.
125 1, engynes] Inmj^ps H. 1253. the] ther H.
1254. Censoryne H. 1259. Hasdruball P.
1262. Cyrra P.
1266. them^ hvm B, R, him J, P.
1273. dispeired R.
1278. the] om. H.
BK. V]
The Fate of PerseuSy King of Sparta
621
And of AfFrik the tothir Hastruball,
Which among hem afFom was crownid kyng,
Lefft his estat and his poweer roiall,
Yald hym prisoneer, humbeli knelyng.
And his wifF most pitousli weepyng,
Whan that she sauh hir lord was take so.
Ran inta* fire & brent hirsiliF for wo.
Sixe and twenti thousand, as I fynde,
Wer lad of worn wen into captyuyte;
Thretti thousand of men cam behywde.
Take prisoneres in gret aduersite.
And seuenteene daies brente that cite.
That in ther wallis was non so harde ston,
But into pouder it was brent anon.
And this was doon, breeffli to conclude,
Bi the prowesse of Publius Scipioun.
Sold in seruage was a gret multitude;
Ther old[e] lordis lad fetrid to prisoun.
This was of Cartage fynal destruccioun, —
To write ther compleyntis Bochas abit no while.
But into Grece turneth ageyn his stile.
The other
Hasdrubal gave
himself up to
the Romans;
1284 ^^^ '^'^ ^^^^
ran into a fire
for sorrow and
burnt herself
up.
1288
26,000 women
and 30,000 men
were captured,
and the city-
destroyed.
1292
1206 i''^"t'y;te
prowess of
Publius Scipio
that the fall
of Carthage
was accom-
plished.
1300
[How kyng Perseus bi Romayns was outraied &
after taken.] ^
IN Lacedemoyne remembryng o[f] a kyng
Callid Perseus, a ful proud werreio^r,
Cleymyng a title, upon hym vsurpyng
For to succeede as trewe enheritour
To grete Alisandre, most myhti conquerottr,
Fulli affermyng, ageyn a certeyn day
He wil be crowned maugre who seith nay.
And his name to putte in memorie.
Caste in his persone renewe the prowesse
Of kyng Alisauwdre, & tencrece his glorie.
To folwe his tracis in knihthod & noblesse. footsteps;
And first of alle, of hasti wilfulnesse,
That his conquest myhte spreede ferre,
Gan of purpos with Romeyns to haue werre.* 1316
1288. inta] in to the R, into B, P, in to J, into a R 3, in taffryk
H5.
1289. twenti] thritty H. 1301. compleynt H.
1304. Parseus R. 1305. title] tithe H. 1309. seith] say H.
13 16. werre] a werre B.
^ MS. J. leaf III verso.
There was once
a king of
j,Q. Sparta named
^ "* Perseus, who
usurped the
crown after the
death of
Alexander.
1308
He first made
war on Rome,
for he was
ambitious to
13 1 2 ^°"°w in ,
Alexander s
622
but when he
realized the
power of
the Romans he
grew afraid and
sent envoys to
make peace.
The Romans
saw how
presumptuous he
was, and sent
Sulpicius, who
treated his
embassy with
contempt.
Paulus jEmilius
was also sent
against him by
Rome; and the
night after his
arrival the
moon eclipsed,
a token that
Perseus should
be vanquished.
Perseus was
put to flight
by a young
knight called
Cato;
and afterwards
he and his two
sons were made
prisoners by a
captain called
Octavius.
The Fate of Perseus, King of Sparta [^bk. V
But aftir this he was bet auised,
Whan he parceyued the marcial apparaille
Of the Romeyns, wherofF he was agrised,
Wex afFerd ther noblesse to assaille, 1320
Which ay wer founde victorious in bataille.
And wher he had afForn* be rek[e]les,
Sent enbassatOMFs with them to trete of pes.
Thei hadde apparceyued his presumpciouw, 1324
And how he was proud and surquedous.
Sent a consul with a gret poweer doun,
The name of whom was Sulpicius,
Which dedli hatid the said[e] Perseus, 1328
Thoruh hertli rancour ageyn hym wex soleyn.
Of his ambassiat hauyng but disdeyn.
And ther parti for to fortefie
With the said consul Sulpicius, 1332
Thei sent another, expert in cheualrie,
A consul also, Paulus Emylius,
Among Romeyns notable & famous.
And folwyng aftir, the silue same niht, 1336
The moone eclipsed fuUi of his liht.
A cleer tokne, as maad is menciouw,
That kyng Perseus should haue a sharp[e] shour,
And that his lordshepe & his regeouw 1340
Sholde been oppressid, void of al socour,
And that Macedonoys shold haue no fauowr
Ageyn the Romeyns togidre whan thei mette
With rou«d[e] speris & suerdis sharpe whette. 1344
The day of bataille, to his encres of glorie, [p. 275]
For the parti of them off Rome touw,
Ther was a kniht that caused the victorie,
Yong, fressh and lusti, & callid was Catoun, 1348
Which brouht ther enmyes to confusiouw;
For Macedonoys thoruh his gret[e] myht
Outraied wern, & Perseus put to fliht.
But Emylius, the noble consuleer, 1352
Sente a capteyn callid Octauyus
To pursue afFtir in coostis ferr & neer
The proude kyng, this said[e] Perseus.
1322. he had afForn] afforn he hadde B, R, J, afore he had P.
1330. enbassat R, H, R 3, Ambassat J, embassade P.
1342. fauour]] socoMr R.
1353. callid I J repeated in H.
BK. v] The Destruction of Corinth 623
And he was take, for ther was no rescus, 1356
With his sonis, that wer in noumbre tweyne,
Phelipp, Alisaundre, the stori is certeyne.
M
YN auctOMF heer tellith of kynges manye, fhrt*th£y id^!
Thretti in noumbre: the firste Geramus, 1360 w'^*? '? ,
\fn '11 1-7 -n/Ti ' -J Macedonia, and
Which haue regned witA^yne Macedonye;* that Perseus was
. J , r II 1 • T-» the last of them.
And laste or alle was this rerseus.
The noumbre of yeeris, Bochaj writeth thus,
Was nyne hundrid, as is remembred heer, 1364
Space of ther regnyng, vfith foure & tuenti yeer.
Aftir translatid was the regeoun, S^ yeS°and
With al ther iles, vnto thobeissaunce afterwards their
Of them of Rome, withoute excepcioun; 1368 translated to
The* grete lordis that wer of most puissaunce
Abood[e] ther long vndir gouernaunce.
And Perseus, disconsolat of cheer,
Duryng his lyff abood ther prisoneer. 1372
[How the peple of Achaia, witA ther cheef Cite
Corynthe by Romayns was destroied.] ^
THUS the lordshepe wered out & spent S^tn^fneaT
Of Macedoyne, as maad is mencioun. Macedonia
rpi "^ , ,. Achaea and
1 her wer too contres therto adiacent, Sparta, which
rpi A l_ • !• "1 were bound
1 he ton Achaia, a litil regeoun, 1376 together in an
And Spartanoys* goyng enviroun, aihancc.
Mihti of peeple and of gret substaunce.
In oon confederat & of oon alliaunce.
Thei wer conioyned & bothe maad al oon nSo ^* ^^^^ V
■p,. r • I r 1 • enemies ot
r>i a maner feithful convencioun. ^mc, the
And when the Romeyns knew hem for ther foon, to sow dis-
TT ^i_ f 1 • • • sension between
tlauyng ther irenshipe in suspecioun, them;
Thei caste to make a disiunccioun 1384
Atween thes londis, in breede & eek in lengthe;
For thyng disseuered is menusid of his strengthe.
Ordeyned cites and toun[e]s heer & yonder, thre^en^w*
Wheron the Romeyns gan make a decre, 1388 ^^= against the
That ther lordshepes sholde be sette assonder, messengers,
1359. tellith heer R, J, telleth here P. 1361. Macedoyne B.
1369. The] To B, J, P.
1377. Spartanoys] Spathanoys B, Spatanoys R, H, R 3, Spa-
tanois J.
^ MS. J. leaf 112 recto.
624 The Destruction of Corinth {j&ia. v
Which made the peeple in eueri gret cite,
Whan thei knew ther fals subtiHte,
To rise attonys, most cruel of ther cheeris, 1392
And wolde ha slayn the Romeyn massageris.
R^'iS'TosSfg And fynalli hi this occasioun
dowrr'consui Ron^^yns ageyn hem gan wexen furious,
called Mummius Took hardynesse off ther dyuisioun: i«o6
against Achaea. ., iii-in/r-
And a consul callid Munms,
A manli kniht, in armis ful famous.
Into Achaia was fro Roome sent
It to destroye hi gret auisement. 1400
i?thdfprid"e Thei of Achaia bi ther necligence,
fidf without And bi ther froward wilful reklesnesse,
anTsef th"e'- ^^ verray pride list make no diffence;
wives and Thouhte themsilfF, withoute auisynesse, 1404
women on a /~vrr i i o * i
high mountain UiT poweer able, & strenger m sothnesse
to see the battle, jj^^j^ wer[e] Romeyns, veraili in deede:
Thus wer thei stroied afForn or thei took heede.
Thei stood in hope in ther sturdynesse 1408
Bi that bataille to haue had gret pillage.
Of the Romeyns to ha[ue] won[n]e gret richesse.
And for a pompe, of wilful fals dotage
Thei took ther wyues and womwen yong off age, 141 2
And set hem up on an hih mounteyn,
That ther manhod myhte in the feeld be seyn.
L"w%fr°"'"' Whan the Romeyns mette hem in bataille,
cattle' a'id^ Thei dispurueied and out off ordenauwce, 1416
carried off the Slayn lilc beestis, ther poweer gan to faille,
women and _^ - -i i • i i i
children to Of froward pnde & rekles gouernaunce.
That Achaia was brouht to myschauwce;
Womwen and child re, for sorwe almost mad, 1420
To lyue in seruage wer to Rome lad.
£Sroyed!"hief Cotynthe that tyme was ther cheef cite,
Ume^'^ °^ '" Destroied be Romeyns & brouht vnto ruyne.
Which among citees, in Bochas ye may see, 1424
Aboue alle othir dide in honour shyne;
Of alle sciences ther floured the doctrine.
And of crafftis artificeres most wise,
Rekne al the world, ther was cheef marchaundise. 1428
1393. messangeer^s H. 1397. Mumtnius P. 1399. from R.
BK. v] The Destruction of Corinth 625
Thus vnwarii in ther most noblesse, [p. 276] Sft^ "amS
Sittyng of Fortune on the [hihest] stage, STsR^ '°
Thei wer destroied of tresor & richesse,
Brouhte to nouht hi slauhtre & pillage, 1432
Ther wallis broke in that cruel rage.
And in that brennyng, Bochoj- seith, the leuene
Rauht a gret part upward to the heuene.
Pleyn with the erthe the wallis broke doun, 1436 Sdild anTtL
The peeple slayn merciles, yong & old ; ^'essijr sUia
And ther was maad a gret dyuisioun: b^^"^ "^^^
Sumwe lad in seruage, & somme of them wer sold.
Images of coper, of syluer & of gold 1440
Wer sodenli, in al that violence,
Togidre molte, so hoot was the feruence.
Of which metal thus afFtir it is fall, T^r^TnT °^
Gold, siluer, coper, medlid into oon, ^ 1444 ^d^„T.'uvir
Coper of Corynthe men sothli dede it'call, nadt^ and
Thoruh al the world of custum euerichon. into a mixture
Fame of which metal is so ferr Igon, caiS'coppcr
That the vessellis forgid of the same 1448
Corynthoise Icallid is by* name.
of Corinth.
9 Afftir Corynthe was thus brent to nouht, df^^Soa of
A prynce callid Philipp Philermene ^^^'
To lohn Bochas hath his compleynt brouht, 1452 Philermene
Tip J 1 * 1 made his
In wnos race and cheer it was weel seene, complaint to
The woful constreynt of his mortal teene. **'
And he was whilom, Bochas doth specefie.
Lord of a cite callid Vallaquye. 1456
Marcus Actilius took hym prisoneer, "? ^*' brought
-'.^ ' prisoner to
Brouht hym to Roome, list hym nat respite. ^^^a t
^ Next* to [lohn] Bochaj, with an heuy cheer, »« wa. also
Appeerid a due* callid Democrite. 1460 Demt^ritus
Of Etholis, myn auctoMr doth so write, of ^toUa,
He was cheefF lord; but he & his contre
Translatid wern to Roome the cite.
1430. of Fortune on the hihest] hihest of Fortune in the H, P,
hihest of Fortune on the R 3, H 5 — on] in J, R — hihest]
hih R.
1441. that] ther R. 1444. medlid] loyned H, R 3.
1449. callid H, called P — by] the B, R, J.
1459- 7'fe' paragraph mark is misplaced before the next line, B —
John] om. R, J, P, H 5, R 3 — an] om. H, R 3, H 5.
1460. due] kniht B, R, J, P — Domocrite R, J, Damocrite P.
1461. Elholoys H.
himself.
626 Antiochus of evil Life defeated by Rome [bk. V
onc°e Indr'* THis duk was cast and cheyned in prisouw, 1464
mld'^lndTw Escapid onys, in stori as I fynde,
Take ageyn, throwe in a derk dongouw,
Ther for sorwe wente out of his mynde,
Slouh hymsilfF at myscheefF ageyns kynde — 1468
Loo, hou thes princis proud & rek[e]les
Haue shamful eende, which canwat lyue in pes!
[How grete Anthiocus vsjmg riot and viciuos lyu-
yng/ bi marchus Actilius was outraied & deied
sodenly.] ^
sdeucuTand ^TPOUCHYiVG ^6 stori in ordre heer folwywg
oSdic^a and -"■ P^ Seleuchus & gret Anthiochus, 1472
the ring Off his moodet Laodices & Ipe ryng,
With other toknes & signes merueillous,
And how also the famous* Seleuchus
Hadde in his theih, as writen is heer-toforn, 1476
Preent of an anker the day whan he was born,
the^aSchSr'"^ And al the childre bi successioun
ri'authe""'^^'^ Hadde be discent, bor[e]n of his lynage,
children, was Preent of au anker, as maad is menciouw, 1480
Fourth Book. The fourte book, with al the surplusage
Of othir toknis ther told in pleyn langage.
And of the seide same Seleuchus
Cam be discent the saide Antiochus. 14S4
Andodius, Whos herte was set of hih[e] couetise
Sefeucus'^^'^^ °^ To folwe his lustis and delectaciouw[s];
And specialli he caste gaw & deuise
To Wynne in Grece dyuers regiouws. 1488
And of the peeple he cauhte occasiouws,
Bi ther fauour to conquere that* contre
And to rebelle ageyn Rome the cite.
[he Rolrns'a" d With multitude & gtet apparaille 1492
conquered many fjg g^t in Gtcce castelHs & eek touns
of their towns ° i i i 'ii
in Greece; Longyng to Roome, conquered be bataiUe;
Took upon hym in his presuwpciouns
Falsli to folwe the inclynaciouns 1496
Of his berthe, whil he dede abide
In a cite that callid was Calcide.*
1475. famous] same B. 1480. an] om. R.
1483. same saide H. i486, delectacioun R.
1490. that] ther B, R. 1498. Talcide B, R, J, Ealcide H.
^ MS. J. leaf 112 verso.
BK. v3 Antiocbus of evil Life defeated by Rome
627
1508
1.^12
277]
For cause of slouthe he lefFte his cheualrie,
Forsook[e] Mars & took hym to Cupide,
Restyng the wyntir, he spente in lecherie,
In wach and riot, ches Venus to his guide:
Sensualite maad resoun stonde aside;
And bi thes menys, for short conclusioun,
He was conveied to his destruccioun.
And whan that wyntir yfitb his frostis colde
Ipassid was and al his stormys keene.
In riot spent and wastid, as I tolde,
And ver cam in wxt^ his newe greene,
And fressh[e] Flora, which is of flouris queene.
Off custum gynneth hir motles out to dresse, —
In which[e] sesoun, as auctowrs alle expresse,
Kynges, princis, with marcial apparaille, [p.
Tyme whan Phebus in the Ram doth shyne,
Thei hem dispose to gon out to bataille,
For exersise of marcial disciplyne.
And doun fro Roome, expert in that doctryne,
Descendid is Marchus Actilius
Ageyn this vicious proude Anthiochus.
This noble Mark, preued in armis weel,
Which in his tyme was soo good a kniht.
With al his boost [e], armyd in briht steel,
Ageyn Antiocbus cam to the feeld doun riht,
Vpon a morwe whan Phebus shon ful briht.
Set his wardeyns be capteyns that he ches
Vpon an hill callid Termophiles.
Antiocbus upon the tothir side,
Whom glotonye & riot dede oppresse, 1528
And dronke Bachus, which wtt^ hym dide abide.
With Morpheus wiff, of slombre cheeff goddesse, —
Which caused hym thorub slouthe & idilnesse
That prouidence out of bis court was gon,
Causyng that day the slauhtre of many on.
Whan the consul, Marchus, the worthi knybt.
His aduersaries proudli gan assaille,
Thei vnpurueied, took hem to the fliht;
Disaraied thei myhte nat auaile.
Thus Anthiochus fledde out of bataille;
but he soon
grew slothful,
J -QQ and, forsaking
-' Mars, betook
himself to
Cupid, and
spent the winter
in lechery.
1504
When spring
came with
Flora and her
fresh flowers.
and Phoebus
shone in the
Ram, Marcus
Atilius
descended
down from
1516 Rome with hit
army.
1520
1524
and the
gluttonous,
riotous
Antiochus was
defeated and
forced to flee
1532
1536
1512. sesouns H. 1534. 1st the3 this R.
628
Antiochus of evil Life defeated hy Rome [bk. v
to Ephesus.
He tried to
For ageyn Romeyns he myht nat endure:
Therfore on hym fill the disconfiture.
Thus rebukid fledde to Ephesie,
wrs'^re'buffedl'"* FeFF in Grece, and ther to duelle he ches,
Sente Romeyns a gret embassatrie
With said[e] Marchus for to trete of pes.
But his* embassiat, this verray dout[e]les,
Whan thei atteyned of Marchus the presence,
Wer refusid & hadde non audience.
IS40
IS44
Greatly
mortified, he
then began a
war against
Rome on the
sea
and was
beaten three
times.
Once more he
fought the
Romans on
land with
chariots set
with scythes,
and elephants,
and again he
was compelled
to flee and was
finally obliged
to pay a
tribute to
Rome.
Of which Antiochus gretli was a-shamed, 1548
Caste ageyn Roome of hate & enmyte
To reise a poweer, & hath of newe attamyd
To gadre shippis & make a gret arme,
Gynwe a werre ageyn hem on the se, 155a
Hauyng an hope, vndir a coward dreede,
Bet on the watir than on the lond to speede.
Made his shippis be stuffed yrith vitaille.
And hfs capteyns han the lond forsake; 1556
But whan the Romeyns gan hym of newe* assaille,
His shippis brent & al his stuff was take.
And lik myn auctour compendiousli doth make,
Thries on the se the Romeyns werreyng, 1560
He was outraied, the stori witnessyng.
Yit efft ageyn to his confusioun
Vpon the lond[e] he gan make* hym strong,
Mette with Cornelie callid Scipiouw, 1564
With Waynes, cartes maad for the werre long.
Shod with hard iren, sharp sithes set among
In trauers wise bi gret ordenauwce;
But for al that, he was brouht to myschauwce. 1568
With olyfauwtis & castellis on the[r] bak
That day was slayn many a worthi kniht,
Vpon his host so cruel was the wrak.
That he constreyned took hym to the fliht, 1572
Forsook the contre, fledde out of mennys siht.
To the Romeyns, he coude it nat delaie,
Ech yeer constreyned a tribut for to paie.
1544. of] om. R. 1545. his] in this B, R, J, P.
1548. which] tie which H. 1551. the shippis R.
1554. In reading MS. H., turn back to leaf 105.
1557- E^n hym of newe] of newe gan hym B, R, J, P.
1563. maken B. li;6s. the] their H.
1569. their] the R, j. 1572. hym to] vn to H.
1573. the] his H.
BK. v] An Envoy on the Tragedy of Antiochus
629
x"jfi He then began
^i7" to rob mer-
chants and
temples.
1580
1584
and at last
fell dead while
in the act of
despoiling the
temple of
Jupiter of
Dodona.
1588
But he of fraude, because of his tribut
For couetise feyned sore pouerte,
Gadred robbours, & be fals pursut
Oppressid marchauntis, spoilled the contre.
Robbed tempHs, of hatful cruelte.
And fro lubiter callid Dodonyan*
Took alle the reliques, the story telle can.
Dide sacrilege & entrid in that cloos
Withoute reuerence or any obseruaunce.
For which the temple ageyn[es] hym aroos.
And, as it is put in remembraunce,
Bi the goddis ther fill a gret vengauwce
Vpon this tiraunt, quakyng in his dreed, —
Al sodenli he fill to grounde ded.
^ Lenvoye,
THIS tragedie of Anthiochus, [p. 278] '^l^'^V^
Who list in ordre his froward stori see, Antiochus,
First to al vertu he was contrarious,
And rebel euer to Roome the cite,
lustli accusid of vicious thynges thre:
Of pride, slouthe and of glotonye.
And of disordynat superfluite.
Of niht excesse, riot and lecherie.
On hym the Romeyns wer victorious
Twies on the lond [and] onis on the se,
He was nat hardi, but malicious;
In eueri bataile his custum was to flee.
Wher vices regne ther may no grace bee;
To al surfetis his lust he dede applie,
Noised and disclaundred thoruhout his contre
Of niht excesse, riot and lecherie.
Among his lieges wood & despitous.
And for a coward knowe in the feeld was he;
The poore toppresse a wolfF most furious.
And be deceit a fox for subtilite: '
No man mor froward, of hih nor louh degre.
Nor mor delityng in falsheed nor flatrie.
who was justly
1552 accused of
pride, sloth,
gluttony, riot
and excess.
1596
and everywhere
beaten by the
Romans and
always forced
1600 to flee, shews
that where
vices reign
there is no
grace.
1604
Cnid to
his subjecti
and a coward,
no man was
1608 niore perverse
or fond of
falsehood and
flattery; and
his end was
sudden death.
1576. his] that R, om. H, this R 3.
1577. sore] om. H. 1581. Dodovian H, R 3, Dodavian R, Do-
doncan P, Dodouyan, B, H 5.
1585. temple] peple H.
1598. This and the next stanza are transposed in R.
1605. riot] pride R.
630
Noble Princes,
remember that
if you are
virtuous you
will prosper.
Antiochus was
cast down for
his pride, riot
and lechery.
Hieron of Syracuse. Scipio AJricanus [bk. v
What was his eende? a sodeyn deth, parde, 1612
For his outrages of pride & lecherie.
Noble Princis, of prudence ful famous,
In al your grettest roial mageste,
Remembreth pleynli, yif ye be vertuous, 1616
Ye shal perseuere in long prosperite,
Wher the contrarie causeth aduersite,
As this stori afForn doth specefie
Of Anthiochus, cast from his dignite 1620
For his gret pride, riot & lecherie.
^ ExpUcit.
[How leronimus of Ciracuse kyug was slayn, and
how Scipio Affrican that labored for common
wele of Romayns was exiUd bi them and so
deied.] ^
After the death
of Antiochus,
came Hieron of
Syracuse, who
was innocently
slain together
with his three
dear sisters by
his hateful
subjects.
A
FFTIR the deth of this Antiochus,
Ther cam a prince to Bochaj cowpleynywg,
Which that callid was* leronimus, 1624
Of Siracuse whilom lord & kyng.
Which of his lieges, he nothywg trespacyng,
Islay[e]n was with his thre sustren deere
Of hatrede, myn auctowr writ so heere. 1628
Siracusanys hadde a condiciouw,
Thoruh chauMges newe ay to been vnstable,
Of wilful malis void of al resouw
On ther kynges for to be vengable; 163a
Thei loued nat to han hem perdurable,
But eueri yeer of custum, this is trewe.
Them to gouerne to han a prince newe.
iert forever^^^ ^nd for thet chaungcs & ther vnkouth stryues, 1636
With variauwce of ther condiciouws.
Because no frut is founde in ther lyues.
Nor in ther stories nor ther* successiouns,
I will passe ouer & speke of Scipiouws, 1640
And first to write of the worthi man
Callid in his tyme Scipio AfFrican.
1624. was callid B, R, J — leromyus H, leromynus R 3, Hiero-
nimus P.
1627. thre] om. R. 1639. ther ] in ther B, R.
1 MS. J. leaf 113 recto.
The people of
Syracuse were
fickle and in
the habit of
killing their
kings on
occasion, so
that they
could have
a new one.
fighting and
unfruitful in
their lives, I
shall pass over
and speak of
the Scipios.
BK. v3 Rome*s Ingratitude to Scipio Africanus 63 1
A famous kniht in al[le] naciouns
For his conquest, shortli to conclude, 1644
Which hadde brouht ful many regiouns,
Mor be wisdam than be multitude,
Tobeie the Romeyns; but for ingratitude.
Which that he fond in hem, as I reede, 1648
How he wrouhte to telle I wil proceede.
It is remembrid of his worthynesse,
Whil that he was flouryng in yong age,
How Roome was maad[e] ladi and maistresse 1652
Of many a lond[e], to ther auauntage.
And specialli al Affrik & Cartage
Bi his prowesse, as maad is mencioun,
Wer brouht of Romeyns vndir subieccioun.
But thei ageynward wer to hym vnkynde,
Bi accusacioun[s] founde out bi ther falsnessis,
Saide ageyn hym, as it is put in mynde.
Be record of many fals witnessis.
That he shold haue besiled the richessis
Of Cartage & AiFrik the contre.
Which appartened to Roome the cite.
But ageynward this noble Affrican 1664
Proudli gaiF ansuere to his accuso^rs:
He neuer withheeld fro tyme that he began
Toward hymsilf no part of ther tresowrs,
Sauf as the maner is of conquerours, 1668
For to conserue his worshep & his name,
As most was proffit to the toun[e]s fame.
This is to meene, pleynli & nat tarie, [p.
He neuer acrochid tresour nih nor ferre
Toward hymsilf, but that was necessarie
For ther worshep to meynteene wtt^ the werre.
And yit that tyme he was ther lodesterre,
Tencrece ther boundis, & fulli his delit 1676
Was al hool set to the comoun proflSt.
Sdpio
Africanus was
a wise and
famous knight
whom the
Romans treated
with great
ingratitude.
although it
was he who
brought so
many lands
under their
subjection.
1656
They falsely
accused him
of misappro-
priating the
wealth of
Carthage and
1660 Africa.
But noble
Africanus
answered them
proudly that
he never took
more than was
necessary
27q1 ^°^ ^'
*'iyi maintenance of
1672 ^« '■*'■•
165 1. yong3 om. H.
1652. maistresse^] pryncesse H, R 3.
1653. lond] toun & londe H.
1658. accusaciouns3 occasiouns H — falsnessis] falsnesse J, P,
lalsnes R 3.
1660. wytnes R3. 1661. riches R 3. 1662. &] in R.
1674. the] ther H, R, J, P.
632 The Epitaph of Scipio Africanus \jrk. V
Sridrudl"'""' He took non heed of al the surplusage
voiunta^eiiie. ^^ ^^^^ ttesours Tiot ther gret richesse,
The name reserued of AfFrik & Cartage 1680
To his knyhthod and his hih noblesse.
But ther malicious expert vnkyndenesse
Was in cause, breeffli to compile,
His bodi fro them perpetueli texile. 1684
never'Sn w ^ast hym ncuer withynne Roome touw
hea?c!de°£°°''' ^^^^^ ^^^^ '^^y among hem to be seyn,
a small village. Vnkyndenessc gafF hym occasioun
Tabsente his persone, & of hih disdeyn 1688
Texile hymsilfF & neuer come ageyn.
But for tabide in a smal village
Callid Lynterne, whan he was falle in age.
^wn'^epfup^h! And for men sholde mynde vpon hyw haue 1692
nefthfr wf ^^ ^ maner of indignaciouw,
a°he3 sTouid' "^^ epitaphie he sette upon his graue, —
ever repose Which seide thus to them of Roome toun :
within the walls a r\ i i i i i
of Rome. U peeple vnkynde, vnkynde ageyw resouw, 1696
My funerall asshes nor my bonis dede
In thi wallis thou neuer shalt posseede.
'shdf^tTest I" t^hyn vnkynde froward teritorie
grou^ifdS^he ^y bonys shal nat resten nor abide; 1700
remembrance of But thyn vukyndeuesse to putten in memorie,
tude shall be The Tcmembraunce shal be rad ful wide
known far and r\r 11 • • 1
wide by this Ut thes iettres graue, on eueri side,
tSn cuTon''" Be report onli of this smal scripture, 1704
my tomb. Which heer is set upon my sepulture.
liiTfunerai was ^00, hccr the cause, be breef descripcioun
afthovT ri'^did ^^^ ®" "^^ graue for a memorial!,
so much for , Whi that my bonys out of Roome toun 1708
the community. Vp, i • i i i t i • 11
Been buried heer lowe vndir this wall,
In exil holde my feeste funerall, —
Vnkyndenesse me drofF from* that cite,
That wrouhte so moche for the comouwte." 1712
1684. frome H.
1690. tabide^ to dwell H.
1698. shalt] shall H, R 3.
1702. The] To R.
1711. from] out of B, R, J, P, out fro H 5, fro R 3.
BK. v3 The Ingratitude of Rome to Scipio Asiaticus 633
plow Scipio Asian lord of Asie l)at labored euer for
the comon wele was mordred.] ^
AFTIR the eende of this AfFrican,
Callid in his tyme worthi Scipioun,
Caw next his brothir, Scipio Asian,
Which in Asie hadde domynacioun.
Geyn whom was made an accusacioun
To al the senat, that he vntreuli sholde
Certeyn tresours toward hymsiliF withholde,
Which that he In Asia hadde wonne
In his conquest be many strong bataille.
Which accusacioun falsli was begonne
Of old envie, causeles, this no faile;
Whos worthynesse ful mekil dede auaille
To comoun profiit, be thes too conquerowrs,
Bi gret richesse encresyng ther tresowrs.
The ton in AfFrik, as ye haue herd me tell,
Bi his wisdam & his cheualrie,
The tothir in Asia, which dede excell
In hih prowesse, as bookes specefie.
Falsli hyndred of hatreede & envie,
Bi cowpassyng of oon Anthiochus,
Hym to destrole he was so desirous.
Natwithstondyng thes tweyne Scipiouns
Hadde in ther tyme, be manyfold batailles,
Brouht into Roome so many regiouns
Tobeie ther cite, with marcial apparailles,
And euermor[e] to ther gret auailles
Brouht in tresours tencrece with ther toun,
Yit ban thei wrouhte to ther destruccioun.
The ton in exil, as maad is mencloun,
Deied, alas, whan that he was old;
The second was moordred in prisoun:
Ther bothe stories remewbrid heer & told
To yiue exaumple to princis manyfold.
That who that laboureth for a comounte
Leseth ofte his thank, be Scipiouns ye may see.
His brother,
Scipio Asian,
was also
enviously
accused of
appropriating to
1 7 16 himself certain
treasures
which he had
1720 ^OQ in Ada,
together
with many
lands, for the
common profit.
1724
1728
And this was
done by the
compassing of
one Antiochus,
who wished to
destroy him.
1732
Such was the
ingratitude with
which these
two able men
I'jtJS '^we treated.
1740
Scipio Asian
was murdered
in prison,
Africanus died
in exile; and
their stories
1744 ^'■e remembered
here to shew
princes that
those who
labour for the
community
receive sinall
thanks.
1732. Antiochus H, R, J.
1735, 37, 38. bataile, apparaile, availe H, R 3.
^ MS. J. leaf 113 verso.
1747. oflFten H.
634 'J^he Fate of Duke Philopoemen [eyl. v
[How the Duk philopomones was take, put in prisoun,
aftir drank poison and so deied.]^
PhUopoemen, A FFTIR the proccsse of thes too Scipiouws, 1748
Me°ss^if during -^^ Atwccn too pecpHs* wilful & rekles
the war betweenBcgan in Grccc Dcwc disccnciouMs,
^toiia, Tween Acheois & Etholois dout[e]les.
And a gret duk Philopomones, 1752
A prince that tyme of ful gret puissauwce,
Hadde of Messoneys hooli the gouernaunce.
inl'ba«ron7This said[e] prince Philopomones, [p. 280]
fair plain, Leedyng his host upon a ful fair pleyn, 1756
"As he rood armed, & put hymsilff in pres
Mid his peeple as gouernour & wardeyn,
Folk out of reule for to calle ageyn,
Vpon his steede, as he gan hem fette, 1760
In deu ordre his wardes for to sette.
uken^captive And this pHnce*, of port most marcial,
by his enemies J^ the pursut which that he gan make,
and put into '^ i i i i r ii
prison where he Among his enmyes he hadde a sodeyn fall, 1764
died by drinking,, ., ^ , ,. , ,
poison. Void or al rescus vnwarii he was take,
Of al his freendis lik a man forsake,
Among his enmyes brouht into prisouw,
Ther maad an eende be drynkyng of poisouw. 1768
wcaeded by a ^^ Philopomones this was the fatal cas,
L'cortas""^'^ Out of gouemaunce, his peeple desolat,
Except a capteyn callid Ligorias,
Which in the werris was wonder fortunat, 1772
Of Acheois took on hym the estat.
Them to gouerne & the peeple leede,
Of hym no mor in Bochas I do reede.
[Off the thirde Scipion Nasica that euer wrouht
moche for the comonte.] ^
idpiol^'Nasica. TV/T'^^ auctOMt hect maketh a digressioun, 1776
surpassed all IVX And reherseth for a memorial
other Romans ^^^, i-ii i-o"*
in wisdom and Of the thridde worthi bcipiouM,
Callid Nasica, which in especiall
1749. peeple B. 1751. Etholois] Messanians P.
1754, Messoneys] Messonoys H, Achaia P.
1758. myddes H. 1759. for] om. R. 1760. his'l a H.
1762. this prince] thes princis B. 1763. he] thei H.
* MS. J. leaf 113 verso. * MS. J. leaf I14 recto.
courage.
BK. v3 The Ingratitude of Rome to Scipio Nasica
63 s
Be disposicioun verray natural! 1780
Hold among Romeyns, bi report of langage,
Passyng al othir in wisdam & corage,
Old of discrecioun & but* yong of yeeris.
For a myracle, myn auctowr doth expresse.
Whan senatoMrs sente massageris
Into Frigia bi gret auisynesse
For Berosynthia, most famous goddesse,
Whan she was brouht bi them that ded hir guide, 1788
In hous nor temple she wolde nat abide,
Sauf in the paleis of this Scipioun,
To putte his name mor in remembraunce.
The which also, thoruh his hih renoun, 1792
Gallobois he brouhte to vttraunce,
A peeple off Grece, ferr out of gouernauwce;
But Scipioun gan hem so werreie,
Maugre ther malis the Romeyns for to obeye. 1796
W^herbi his name was put in memorie,
And ful gret thank in Roome he hath disserued,
Because onli of this gret victorie.
For which the tryumphe was to hym reserued. 1800
But at the laste ful falsli he was serued
Of the Romeyns aftir ther old maneer,
In this tragedie anon as ye shal heer.
Aftir he hadde aumentid ther tresowrs,
Conquered in Asie many regiouns,
Caused of ther foon that thei wer victOMrs,
Appesid of Graccus the fals occasiouws,
Compassed of malis be newe discenciouns
Atween the peeple & also the senat, —
He of hih wisdam hath stynt al that debat.
Trustyng the Romeyns, Scipioun was begiled,
Loste ther fauour, & offendid nouht;
Be them vnwarli banshed & exiled,
Cleene forgetyn; put out of ther thouht
For comoun proffit al that he hath wrouht.
The guerdoun lost, thouh princis canat see.
Of al that doon for any comounte.
VMien the
Senate sent
tt8,i messengers to
^'°* Phrygia for
the goddess
Berecyntia,
she would not
abide anywhere
except in
Scipio's house,
which was a
miracle.
He also brought
the Gallobois to
uttrance, and
deserved great
thanks of Rome
and was given
a triumph;
o_, but at the last
^°*** he was treated
with
ingratitude.
1808
He lost the
favour of the
181 2 Romans and
was banished
and forgotten —
the usual reward
of those who
labour for the
common weal.
1816
1783. but] nat but B, R, J, P.
1799. this] his R, J, P — gret] om. H, R 3.
636 The Reward of those who labour for the Community [^bk. v
Their popularity
is like a wisp
of flame or a
momentary
glimpse of the
sun through
clouds.
The people are
as fickle in
their opinions
as so many
Blind Bayards;
the fame of a
prince is lifted
to the stars
to-day and
obscured to-
morrow.
We need only
remember the
fate of the
three Scipios.
Lik a blase for a w[h]ile liht,*
Which sheweth [ful] cleer & is neuir aftir seyw,
Or hk a sonne for a momewt briht,
Vnwarli shroudid -with a cloude of reyn,
Riht so the wyndi fauour bloweth in veyn,
May resemble for a mutabilite,
Of them that doon for any comounte.
The peeple folweth ther owne oppynyouws,
In ther conceitis thei be so wonderful;
Will halt the bridil of ther discreciouns:
Ther hasti deemyng so bestial is & dull,
On blynde Baiard thei braiden at a pull,
To quite the guerdouws of marcial bounte
Of them that doon for any comouwte.
This day a prince stant in the peeplis grace,
Lik as thei wolde his name deifie
Aboue the sterris in lubiteris place.
With Mars & Phebus his name to stellefie;
But be to-morwe ther komth a sodeyn skie,
Shewyng ther is a ful feynt surete
Of them that doon for any comouwte.
And for tafferme that it is treull so,
Calle thre Scipioutzs [un]to remembraunce:
First of Affrik & Asie, bothe too;
Note in cronicles ther knihtli gouernauwce,
Ther restles labowr Romeyns for tauaunce,
Rekne ageynward how thes princis thre
Wer ful vngoodli quit bi the comounte.
[p.
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
281]
1840
1844
^ Lenvoy.
KheL'^wShy npHIS tragedie of thre Scipiouns,
JL [That wer] so worthi in knyhthod &* notable.
Made so many famous regiouws 1848
Subiect to Roome (this stori is no fable),
Wher the Romeyns, double & deceyuable.
Shewed ageynward to thes princis thre,
notable men,
who made so
many regions
subject to Rome
1818. liht] briht B, H, R, J. 1819. ful] om. R, J, P.
1820. a] Jie H.
1832. This stanza and the next are transposed in H.
1839. it] is H. 1840. unto] to J, P. 1845. quit] om. H.
1847. &] & eek B.
BK. v3 The Reward of those who labour for the Community . 637
The thank[e] lost & guerdoun couenable 1852
Of hym that doth for any comounte.
Rekne up in Affrik the cites & the touns, !Si<fA5ia^wfth
Crete Cartage with castellis deiFensable; ^"* revenues.
Rekne in Asie the gret pocessiouns 1856
With reuenus verray innumerable;
Rekne ther tryumphes of pris incomparable,
Which considred, ye may a mero^r see,
How the guerdouns be fals & flaskisable i860
Of them that doon for any comounte.
Thei wer whilom the Romeyn champiouns, onceThe'
Off senatot/rs to sette the honour stable, champions of
_,..,,,. . their nation,
Tauoid discord & al discenciouns 1864 were
. , o • 1 T 1 finally thrown
Atween the comouns & statis honourable; down from
But she that is of custum ay chaungable, omine.w ee ,
Fortune, in whom may be no surete,
Sheweth in hir wheel the guerdouns most mutable 1868
Of them that doon for any comounte.
Noble Princis, peiseth in youx resouns, PiSSsfthat'aii
Al worldli thyng in erthe is transmutable, t^^nstlbkr
Feynt & vnseur youx domynaciouns, 1872 even your own
r>i *•! II 111 domination.
Chartre* is ther non to make hem perdurable.
Sorwe at departyng youx bodies coruwpable,
A thyng rassemblyng that neuer hadde be,
Record on Scipiouns be guerdouns rassemblable 1876
Off them that doon for any comounte.
Trusteth neuer in yot^r oppynyouns, ^7p^weVu'*
But that youx poweer is ech day remeuable. do"liot°2iow
Beeth nat maad blynd in yoMr discreciouns, 1880 yo"r»«i7« ,t.o_,
■P, -111 I II "* made blind
but considreth bexaumples resonable to the piay
The pley of Fortune lik hasard retowrnable
With sodeyn chaung of fals felicite,
Vnto the guerdouns daili comparable 1884
Of them that doon for any comounte.
^ Explicit lenvoye.
1858. ther] t)e H.
1859. ye] I, H.
1870. peiseth] remembrith H.
1873. Chartre] Charite B, R, H, Cherite J, Chartyr H 5, Chartre
R3.P.
638 The Story of Hannibal of Carthage [bk. V
[How Duk Hanyball aftir many victorious dedes
moordred himsilf with poison.] ^
prin/e'Hrnibai.lVTEXT [111 ordrc] to Bochas, as I reede,
N
RomilTs'fnd''^ ^ "^ ^"^ of AfFrilc & Cartage, \>erwkha.\
daunted their Thcr Cam a dulc hat hadde most hatrede 1888
power, next i t» • • n
appeared before Agcyii the Komeyns m especiall,
This famous prince callid Hanyball,
Bi whos prowesse, as it is weel knowe,
The seid Romeyns wer dauntid & brouht lowe. 1892
hif h°?ol4e And among othir worthi dukes alle,
foretell his js^g olde crotticlcs make mencioun,
mclinations, i i i r • i r ii
Or Hanybal the fate is so befalle,
At his berthe bi disposicioun, 1896
That of his natural constellaciouw
Set in the heuene, that he sholde bee
Perpetueli enmy to Roome the cite.
he\wore"that°he ^^ ^^^ ^^°" °^ ^y"^ ^°^^ deuise, I9OO
would always Whil his fader, duk whilom of Cartage,
be an enemy -^ ,,. , » 1 1 i i -r
of Rome. Caiiid Amulchat dede onys sacnnse
To his goddis, & he nyne yeer of age,
Swor & avowed, of herte & of corage, 1904
Duryng his lyff withoute excepcioun
Euer to been enmy vnto Roome tou«.
Sfghly wafi of This Martis child, this lusti yonge kniht
fuYwedln "to"' ^^^ ^° Cartage the strong[e] myhti wall, 1908
H^ d^h"]' Which succeedid in his fadris riht
Afftir the deth of worthi Hastruball.
First he made a werre ful mortall
Geyn Saguntynoys, as it is specefied, 1912
Cause with Romeyns that thei wer allied.
shouid^o^nquer ^ ^^em he hadde; & was thus in sentence: [p. 282]
Spain and That he sholde conquere in bataille,
Maugre al tho that stoden at difFence, 1916
Too myhti contrees, first Spaigne & than Itaille,
Dou« descendyng with gret apparaille,
Passyng the famous ryueer Iberius,
And wher he rood alway victorious. 1920
1899. enmy3 om. H.
1902. Amilchar P. 1904. avowed] avoied R.
1910. the] his R. 1912. Saguntines P.
1914. thus] this H, R 3, thys H 5.
1919. hiberus H, R 3, Iberous P.
* MS. J. leaf 114 recto.
BK. V3
The Story of Hannibal of Carthage
639
With hym of AfFrik many cheuenteyns
Rood thonih Gaule, fond no resistance,
Of Pirenes bi the hih mounteyns
To shewe the rigour of his magnificence,
Ouer the Alpies be sturdi violence,
Natwithstondyng the passage was ful wikke.
Of slidyng frostis & of snowis thikke.
A gret[e] parti of his men he* loste
Bi the constreynt of that fell passage,
Hors, olefauntis, that many besaunt coste.
Fond gret daufiger off them in his cariage.
Assaut of brigauntis, whan thei fond auauntage;
And as Bochas put in remembraunce,
Felte gret losse of al his ordenaunce.
The Alpies passid with trauaile & gret wo.
This Hanybal with al his cheualrie
Approched is the ryueer off the Poo,
Cam to a toun that callid is Cursie,
Which stant upon the cite of Pauye,
Wher a consul named* Scipioun
Gaff hym bataille euene affor the toun.
The same consul, Gneus Scipioun,
Which bi prowesse* of manli Hanyball
Was disconfited, as maad is mencioun,
Tofor Pauye hadde a riht foul[e] fall:
The first victorie in especiall
That he hadde beyounde the mounteyns.
Whan he purposed* tassaile the Romeyns.
Sempronyus, a-nother consuleer.
That was felawe to said[e] Scipioun,
Sent eek fro Roome with a ful proud cheer
Geyn Hanyball; but in his comyng doun
Tofor Tresbie, a large myhti toun,
Outraied was bi fatal auenture
And aftir neuer myhte his fall recure.
He first subdued
Spain, and,
crossing the
Pyraiees, rode
through Gaul
and down over
1024 the Alps into
Italy,
1028 ^^ niany of
'>•**' his men and
horses and
elephants in
the passage.
1932
Approaching
the River Po.
__-/: he defeated
^y-*" Gneus Sdpio at
Pavia.
1940
1944
1948
as wdl **
Sempronias,
who had been
sent from Rome
against him.
1952
192*. Rood] And R.
1928. men he] peeple B, R, J, P. 193 1. Fond] And R.
1938, toun] hil P — Cursie] Curye H, Curey R 3, Currye H 5,
Ticinie P.
1939. upon] nighe P. 1940. named] callid B, J, R, P.
1943. prowesse] processe B, R, J. 1945. foule] full R.
1948. purposed] pursued B, R, J. 1950. the seyd R.
1951. fro] to R.
640 The Story of Hannibal of Carthage [bk. v
Off too consuleris this was the wooful fyn, 1956
Sempronyus & Gneus Scipioun.
Ouer the mouwteyn callid Appenyn
Wente Hanybal, thoruh his hih renoun,
To gret damage & gret confusioun i960
Of his peeple that passid the mounteyns,
Destroied with cold, gret snowh & hidous reyns.
tie ApennbelT^ Loste his knihtis, his tresours & his goodis,
where many of fher iTiyht as tho be maad[e] no diffence; 1964
his men died -^ i • i n i
of accident and His grcte stccdcs dfowned in the noodes
exposure. He t»' i • i • • i
himself escaped JtJi the watHs myhti Violence,
but^iost one^of' Fond foF the tyme no bettir resistence,
his eyes. Sauf he cskaped fro that sodeyn wrak, 1968
Of an olyfaunt, he ridyng on the bak.
So importable was his greuous peyne,
Onli born up of marcial corage,
Yit ther he lost oon of his eyen tweyne, 1972
Kept of knihthod o cheer & o visage.
di{tl7edtid^ Thoruh Itaille heeld alwey his passage,
slew Fiaminius. Slouh 3. consul calHd Flamynyus;
Thus in thre batailles he was victorious. 1976
Qillntus Fabius. ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ whilc, as scith myn auctowr,
Rom!n^capta°n' Q^Yntus Fabius, subtil & dcceyuable,
could conquer Which was in Roome a famous dictatowr,
a new method And he apparccyucd* be toknes ful notable, 1980
ambushTnd^ No Romeyn capteyn was in tho dales able,
h^wMhig, As it was shewed be experience,
Geyn Hanybal to make resistence.
Yit in his conceit he subtili gaw serche; 1984
To fynde a weie he dede his besi peyne.
Day be day gan felli theron werche,
Outher be fraude or sum compassid treyne
To ligge await & secreli ordeyne 1988
Enbusshmentis to his auauntages.
Of Hanybal to stoppe the passages.
1959. hih] gret R. 1961. passid] om. R.
1972. lost he H.
1980. And he] Which H, R 3, H 5, P — apparceyued] apper*
teyned B.
1984. Yit] But H — his] this R.
1985. he] om. H.
BK. V]
The Story of Hannibal of Carthage
641
But al his treynys seruid hym of nouht;
For Hanybal, this worthi Affrican,
In his conquest so prudentli hath wrouht,
So lik a prince & a knihtli man,
Fro thilke tyme that he werris gan
Ageyn the Romeyns, bothe on se & lond,
That thei wer feeble his poweer to withstond.
This Quintus Fabius kept hyw alway cloos, [p.
Liggyng await to falle on Hanyball;
And of assent eek to his purpos
Ther was oon Varo, manli & wis withal.
And so thes tweyne in especial,
Withynne Poile, a large gret contre,
Fauht with Hanybal at Kannes the cite.
As the stori maketh rehersaile.
The Romeyn parti, of worthi werreiowrs
Wer fourti thousand slay[e]n in bataille:
Emylius Paulus, thretti senatowrs,
Twenti in noumbre that hadde be pretottrs.
And thre hundred capteyns of estat,
Sla)ai be Hanybal in that mortal debat.
And bi the slauhtre of Emilius,
The noble consul, Romeyns disespeired.
And Hanybal, that day victorious.
To his loggyng is ageyn repeired.
His foon outraied & mortalli appeired.
Knew no refut ageyn this manli kniht.
But at myscheeff took hem to the fliht.
The which[e] day, yiiF that Hanybal
Hadde hem folwed proudli to the toun,
Bi the couwseil of oon Marthabal,
A manli kniht, a prince of hih renoun.
He sholde haue had ful pocessioun
That day of Roome, lik to his entente, —
But I suppose Fortune list nat assente.
In this processe, pleynli, as I reede.
This Hanybal wex proud & riht pompous.
Of foure victories dempte hymsilf in deede
yet even he
could accom-
1QQ2 P''^ little; and
"^ the Romans
became less
and less
able to
withstand
Hannibal's
1996 P°"''-
-Q-l Quintus Fabius,
■^"3 J however .con-
tinued his
campaign,
2000 assisted by
Varro;
2004
and they
fought
Hannibal at
Camue
2008
— ,„ and were again
20" defeated.
3016
But Hannibal
failed to press
home his
victory and lost
his chance of
entering Rome.
2024
He grew proud
and indolent.
2028
1991. his] thes R.
1997. feblee R — poweer] prowesse H, R 3, He,
2004. Cannas R, J, P, Cannes H ^, Games H, Kannes R 3.
2011. be] vfhb R. 2013. disepeired R.
2019. day] hanyball R. 2021. Mataball H. 2027. &] om.
R.
642
although
during the
course of the
war he had
alain so many
Romans
that three
bushels filled
with their gold
rings were sent
home to
Carthage.
Fortune now
became
unfavourable.
Wintering at
Capua in
great luxury,
his soldiers lost
much of their
martial power
through over-
indulgence;
and in the
spring, when
Hannibal
purposed to lay
siege to Rome,
he was hindered
by the rains.
The Story of Hannibal of Carthage []bk. v
Aboue al othir to be most glorious,
Of his corage most inli surquedous.
But, o alas, a litil slouthe & pride.
For lak of pursut, his conquest set aside. 2032
Yit in his conquest, of knihtis that lay ded.
Of consuleris old & yong of age.
With senatOMts, the processe who list reed,
Slayn in the feeld[e] in that mortal rage, 2036
Duk Hanybal sente to Cartage,
Of cleene gold, be record of writyngis.
Out of the feeld thre busshel ful of ryngis.
Aftir foure victories heer remewbrid, 2040
Bi and bi the processe, who list see.
In which[e] many worthi was dismembrid,
Bothe of AfFrik & Roome the cite,
Abate gan the gret prosperite 2044
Of Hanybal be froward auenture:
Set onys bak, hard fortune to recure.
Aftir the flouris of his felicite.
His noblesse drouh to declynaciown. 2048
To Capue he wente, a myhti strowg cite,
Ther to soiourne, as maad is mencioun,
Al the tyme of wyntres cold sesoun,
Wher to his lust & bodili plesaunce, 2052
Off al vitaille fond gret habundaunce.
Which made his knihtis slouh vnto the werre;
For wyn, wommen and plente of vitaile
Ful oflFte sithe cause men to erre, 2056
Make hem feeble ther enmyes to assaille:*
Gorges agroteied, enboced ther entraille,
Disposeth men rather to teste & slep^.
Than of ther enmyes for to taken keep^. 2060
But whan wyntir with his frostis colde
Was ouergon in thilke regioun,
Hanybal gan his purpos holde,
To leyn a siege vnto Roome toun. 2064
But so gret reynys fill horn heuen doun.
So gret[e] tempest vpon eueri side.
For the constreynt he myht[e] nat abide.
2031. o] om. H. 2036. in] on H.
2047. his] hir H. 2049. Capua P.
2057. to assaille] tassaille B, for tassaile H, R 3, H 5.
2058. Egroteied H, engrosed R 3. 2066. vpon] om. R.
BK. V]
The Story of Hannibal of Carthage
643
To fortefie, the said[e] Hanybal, 2068
Ageyn his enmyes wher he hadde a-doo,
Sente lettres vnto Hastrubal,
In riht gret haste for to come hywi too.
But Fortune hir wheel hath tumid so.
That Hastrubal, wher he was loth or fayn,
Be Salynator venquisshed was & slayn.
Of which[e] myscheeff & disconfiture
Hanybal gan dulle in his corage,
Compleyned sore of this mysauenture.
Knew no refut ageyn this mortal rage,
Herd eek seyn that Affrik & Cartage
Were of newe, to his confusioun,
Strongli werreyed be worthi Scipioun.
Siphax also of Numedie kyng, [p. 284]
Which ageyn Romeyns gan a werre make,
Maugre his myht & al his fel werkyng 2084
Was bi force of Scipioun Itake,
Wherthoruh his corage gretli gan a-slake.
And how Cartage, cheeff of that regeoun,
Beseged was also be Scipioun. 2088
Thus Hanybal constreyned was of neede
Horn to repeire for rescus off Cartage,
And was also, in bookis as I reede.
The same tyme falle ferre in age.
And at myscheeff & gret disauauntage
Ageyn Scipioun ful lite[l] myht auaille,
Bi whom he was sconfited in bataille.
Cartage constreynid of necessite.
Them to submitte vnto Roome toun;
And for ther mor hard aduersite,
Gneus Seruilius was fro Rome sent doun,
Onli of purpos for this conclusioun:
For to procure in especiall
Fynal destruccioun & deth ofF Hanyball.
AfFtir al his marcial labours,
His old felicite wex froward & vnmeete,
In holuh images put al his tresowrs,
2088. be3 of H. 2095. scomfited H.
2099. Gneus3 Cayus P — Seruilius"] Geruilius R — fro rome was
H, R 3, H 5.
2103. And aftir R.
and fa3ed of
his reinforce-
ments, owing
to the defeat
and death of
Hasdrubal.
2072
TTiis, together
with the news
2Q^g that Sdpio was
' attacking
Carthage and
had taken
Syphai
prisoner,
duUed his
2080 «*""«*•
Compelled to
return home
to rescue his
city, and grown
old, he was
beaten hy
2092 Scipio;
^_„/; »°d after
2090 Carthage had
surrendered.
he hid his
wealth in hollow
2104 image* a°d
^ went to Crete,
and afterwards
to Prusias,
king of
Bithynia, who,
threatened by
the Romans,
644 The Death of Hannibal [^bk. v
Took his passage into the lond of Creete,
Found* Fortune contrarie & vnsueete,
Made officeeris keepyn his richesse 2108
In the temple of Diane the goddesse.
Sumwhat for trust & parcel eek for dreede.
To fynde socowr he wente [un]to the kyng
Of Bithynye to helpe hym in his neede, 2112
Callid Prusias; but of his komyng
The sleihti Romeyns hadde knowlechywg:
To Bithynye doun ther lettres sente,
"Yif Hanybal scape, echon ye shal repente." 21 16
&e& whkh The lettres radde, the kyng the same day
Made his peeple besege the dongouw
Wher duk Hanybal of truste allone lay.
Al destitut whan he knew this tresouw, 2120
Tescape his enmyes drank wilfulli poisoun,
Ches rather so, sith othir escap was noon.
Than in the handis to fallyn of his foon.
ShS poS Toforn his deth[e] saide this orisoun, 2124
To alle the goddis deuoutli doun knelyng,
That thei wolde of this fals tresoun
Take vengaunce on Prusias the kyng,
Which was cause, bi his fals werkyng, 2128
Of [the] destruccioun and the deth fynall
Of this riht famous worthi Hanyball.
Hannibal had
taken refuge.
1 position
was hopeless,
drank poison,
praying the
gods to take
vengeance on
Prusias.
My pen quaked
and my heart
bled when I
wrote this
tragedy of
Hannibal,
[Lenvoy.]
THIS tragedie froward to write or reede
Of this forseid manli Hanyball,
My penne quook, myn herte I felte bleede,
For to beholde the woful pitous fall
Of hym that was the difFensable wall
Of Cartage, the stronge myhti toun,
Which slouh hymsilfF be drynkyng of poisoun.
2132
2136
2107. Found] And B, R, J, P.
2111. unto] to R, J, P. 2112. his] this H, R 3.
2n6. ye] thai H.
21 17. The] Thes H.
2120. this] his R.
2129. 1st the] om. H, R, R 3, H j — 2nd the] om. J, P.
2130. hastruball H.
who thought it
more manly
to slay himself
than to be
thrall to his
BK. v] The Fate of Prusias, Betrayer of Hannibal 645
It was to hym, he thouhte, mor manheede
To slen hymsilfF be vengaunce most mortall,
Than his enmyes be constreynt sholde hym leede 2140
In cheynys bounde, he to be [ther] thrall.
So gret despiht he hadde of hem at all,
That leuer he hadde, than bide in ther prisouw,
To moordre hymsilf be drywkyng off poisoun. 2144
As me seemeth, in this horrible deede
He rassembled the furies infernal;
Of cruel Pluto I trowe he took his meede,
Voide off resoun, [he] becam bestiall. 2148
At whos terrible feste funerall,
Goddesse Proserpyna cam with manes doun.
The same tyme whan he drank poisoun.
Noble Princis, considreth & take* heede, 2152
Leuyng the surplus his deedis marciall,
Knihtli remembreth, & hath in herte hatreede
Of his empoisownyng in especiall,
Abhomynable to God & man withal, 2156
That a prince so famous of renoun
Sholde moordre hymsilfF be drynkyng of poisoun.
[How Prusias Ijyng of Bethenye betraied Hanybal
and wolde haue disherite his sone & heir went a
beggyng in straunge landys.] ^
)LWYNG in ordre ther cam to Bochas
It seems to me
that he was like
one of the
Furies of the
lower regions.
He received his
reward of Pluto.
Noble Princes,
remember that
a self-inflicted
death by poison
is abominable to
God and man.
n
Of Bithynye the grete myht[y] kyng.
Which in his tyme was cal[li]d Prusias,
Gretli slaundred & noised of o thyng.
That he was fals & double in werkyng,
Ageyn the noblesse of his estat roiall.
Because that he betraisshed Hanyball.
This defaute dirked the brihtnesse
Of his fame & his knihtli renoun,
And eclipsed his passid old prowesse
Bi report in many a regeoun,
Alas, that euer the condicioun
Of doubilnesse bi falsnesse or feynyng,
Sholde be founde, a[nd] namli in a kyng!
2141. their] om. R. 2148. he] om. R, J.
2150. J)e goddesse H. 2152. take] taketh B, J.
2155. enpoisounyng H.
2162. slaundred] disclaundrid H, dyslandryd H 5.
^ MS. J. leaf 116 recto.
2160
Next followed
Prusias, king
of Bithynia,
who betrayed
Hannibal
2164
[p. 285]
2168
and thereby
darkened
the brightness
of his fame.
Alas that
treachery
should ever be
found in a
king!
2172
646 The Fate of Prusias, Betrayer of Hannibal [|bk. V
ffi'a^son"' ^ ^his Prusias ferther to proceede,
Nicoledes Which gcyii Hanybal wrouhte this tresouw,
whom he A sonc he hadde caUid Nichomeede,
purposed to -^ . , ....
deprive of his jDom to* been heir be lust successiouw. 2176
entage g^^ j^j^ fader bi fals collusioun
Purposed hym, for he was yong of age,
To putte hym out of his heritage.
younge^r^^n^by ^^ ^^^^ mateer thet greuh up a gret strifF 2180
a second wife, g^ Prusias [a]geyn this Nichomeede,
Cause that he bi his seconde wifF
Hadde a yong sone, in bookis thus I reede,
Whom he purposeth to preferre in deede, 2184
For which he caste, bi short conclusiouw,
Off Nichomeede the destrucciouw.
And for tacomplisshe this froward fals mateer,
Bi ful gret dehberacioun 2188
Kyng Prusias gan shewen heuy cheer
Geyn Nichomeede, seekyng occasioun
To depryue hym off pocessiouw,
AfFtir his* day, bi sotil fals werkyng, 2192
In Bithynye he shal nat regne as kyng.
Sat^he^waf^ The pecple seyng this gret iniquite
by^NicomedM*^ Wrouht bi the kyng geyn good[e] conscience,
Thoruh al the lond, of hih & louh degre, 2196
To Nichomeede, alle of o sentence,
GafF ther good will and ther benivolence.
For eueri lord and eueri gret baroun
Stood hool with hym thoruh al the regioun. 2200
crowned^ing Thus bi iust title he was crowned kyng.
aWr^sfal^'Ld P^^sias for shamc & heuynesse
to beg for his In strauwge contrees lyued be beggyng,
hving in foreign ° . "^ 00.7 o'
lands. Such is Al dcsolat coed for almesse. 2204
treason and Loo, heer the eeude of tresouw & falsnesse! —
Laft* at myscheefF, myw auctoi^r seith the same,
Of pouerte forsook his owne name.
bMh' for'hfs"*^ Seeth heer too thynges, & taketh riht good heede, 2208
Nicom"de°and ^^ Ptusias thuuwat sodeyu myschaunce,
^'^ti^eaciiery to The disherityng doon to Nychomeede,
2176. to] be B. 2181. geyn J, R, H, R 3, H 5.
2187. for] om. H, R 3, P. 2192. his] this B, R, P.
2194. gret] om. H. 2199. 1st eueri] eu^re R.
2200. the] \>at R. 2206. Laft] Last B. 2209. chaunce H.
B
BK- v] Tbf FetU of Persa who poisoned bis Brother 647
Aftir folwyng on hym the grete vengaunce.
As the stori put in remembrance, 2212
For tresoun doon odible & mortal
Agejnti the forseid famous Hanybal.
[Ho[w] Persa of Macedoyne kyng that enpoisoned
his* brothir/ was bi Emylyus outraied & deied
in prisoun,] ^
ESPREYNT with teris, pitousli weping, vfl^Sf,"^
As Bochas sat in his studie allone, 2216 "p^"^ ,
Next caw Persa, of Macedoyne kyng, groaning
And mortaUi he gan sihhe & grone for, in spite*
And furiousH for to make his mone, naiowi^died
That he whilom was of so hih renoun, 2220 "^ p"*">-
Constreyned aiFtir to deien in prisoun.
This said[e] Persa of nature was froward, S^>^'and a
Euel disposed eek of condiciou'n. ^?f*^ *?^ "*
T"! 1 1 r 1 1 1 order to be-
1 houh he of berthe was but a bastard, 2224 come king
He compassid bi fals collusioun
Afftir his fader to haue pocessioun.
As myn auctowr remembreth be writywg.
Of Macedoyne to be crowned kyng. - 2228
His fader Phelipp, the stori tellith thus, ^S'rf his*
Hadde a sone which was yong of age, J^"* brother
Wis & redi, callid Demetrius, rightful heir.
Bom & begete treuli in mariage. 2232
But Persa caste bi furious outrage
Hym to destroie & moordre be poisoun,
He of that kyngdam to haue pocessioun, —
Falsli compassed* to his auauntage, 2236 y/fSrSf'
In his entent Demetrius to depriue ''« .''*» *
Of Macedoyne, which was his heritage.
And therupon he lettres gan contryue
To preeue hym tre[i]tour whil he was aljoie. 2240
Wherof kyng Phelipp gretli was annoyed.
That he & Persa sholde be destroied
2217. Persa] Persius P.
2219. foriously R. 2220. hih] gret R.
2222. Persius P. 2224. he of berthe] of birth he H.
2236. compassed] compasseth B.
2237. his] this H. 2240. on live H.
2241. annoyed] Enoied H.
* MS. J. leaf 1 16 recto; his is repeaud.
648 The Fate 0} Persa who poisoned his Brother []bk. v
PhUip then Be Demetrius, that thouhte no damage,
Demetrius to be Mciite non harm in his oppynyoun; 2244
slain by poison, x/- i • r i • r
lit nis tader, suspecious or corage.
As* Persa gafF hym fals enformaciouw.
Made hym be slayn be drywkywg of poisouw
Vpon a day, a thyng abhomynable, 2248
Sittyng at mete at his fadris table.
hi'kn'^w'^the''^" Kyng Phelipp aftir, whan he knew the trouthe,[p.286l
truth he died Hadde of his deth[e] gret compassioun,
But al to late; & that was ful gret routhe. 2252
Which caused aftir his owne destrucciouw, —
For sorwe deide; and of presumpciouw,
Persa afFtir, falsli vsurpyng,
In Macedoyne was c[o]rownid kyng.
of grief, and
Persa usurped
the crown,
and, allying
himself with
Greece and
Thrace, began
a war against
Rome.
iEmilius was
sent against
him, and
before the
battle, seeing
his daughter
weep,
With dyuers contrees made his alliaunce,
In Grece, &* Trace gat freendes nih & ferre,
And of pride & wilful gouernauwce
Caste with Romeyns for to holde werre.
Vngrace & youthe made hym for to erre,
Til a consul sente fro Roome toun
Brouhte this Persa to destruccioun.
2256
3260
2264
Callid Emilius was this consuleer,
Sent ageyn Persa to haue a gret bataille.
Seyng his douhtir heuy of hir cheer,
Whan he wente oute his enmyes to assaille.
Made vnto hire this vnkouth apposaille: 2268
"Whi weepe ye so? What thyng doth you greeue.
At my departyng takyng of me leue ?"
"Fader," quod she, "& ye taken heed,
A whelpe I hadde that dede me gret plesaunce, 2272
discovered
that it was
for her whelp
which had ju'st Callid Pcrsa, the which riht now is ded,
died; and this p^^^ ^j^j^ cheef cause onli of my greuaunce."
her father felt
sure was a
good omen
Hir fader thanwe gan chauwgen contenauwce:
"This a tokne, to myn encres of glorie.
That I of Persa shal hauen the victorie."
2376
2246. As] And B, R, J, P — Persius P.
2256. corownid] crownid H, R, J, R 3, P, corownyd H 5.
2258. &] in B, R, J, R 3, H 5 — frendis gat H.
2262. fro] to R.
2266. heuy^OOT. H. 2268. opposaile H.
2272. me] om. R, J.
2273. Persius P. 2274. this] thes R.
BK. v]
The Fate of Persa. Azariab
649
In Macedoyne he & Persa mette,
And quit hym ther lik a manli kniht,
Conquereth the lond, non myht[e] hym wt't^sette, 2280
And manli putte Persa to the fliht;
AfFtir to Trace he took the weie riht.
Of which[e] conquest short processe to make,
With his too sonys Persa was ther take. 2284
Emelius aftir this victorie
Axeth the tryumphe vnto his guerdoun;
And as it is remembred in historic,
Persa folweth his* char thoruh Rome toun,
Condempned aftir to deien in prisoun.
The which[e] deth he dede weel disserue,
For he be poisoun made his brother sterue.
Thus can Fortune, erli & eek late,
Doun from hir wheel & hir hih[e] stage
Of proude princis the surquedie abate.
Whan to hir lust she seeth most auauwtage,
She frowardli can tumen hir visage,
And sodenli thestat of hem consume,
Aboue ther offis that wrongli list presume.
^ Amongis which, a kyng of Israel,
Ageyn the presept and lawe of Moises,
Callid Ozias, the Bible kan weel tel,
Of presumpcioun wilful & rek[e]les,
To sacrefise put hymsilfF in pres,
Lik a bisshop in the temple arraied;
But or he passid he gretli was afFraied,
Lost his speche, [and] smet with meselrie
Duryng his lyfF: loo, heer a gret vengaunce!
Off his crowne & his regalie
Inpotent to vse the gouernaunce,
Parcel for pride & disobeissaunce;
For he list nat meekli the lawe obeie,
For which at myscheef he dede a lepre deie. 2312
.Emilias put
Persa to flight
and took him
prisoner
and received the
triumph.
Persa after-
wards died in
prison and
richly deserved
2288 his fate, because
he had poisoned
his brother.
„»-»/. Fortune is
2292 always able
to curb the
pride of princes
when they
presume above
their office,
2296
as did Azariah,
who went into
the temple
dressed as a
bishop and
demanded to be
allowed to make
sacrifice.
2300
2304
few which he
lost his speech
and died a leper.
2308
2278. Persius P.
2288. his] aftir his B, R.
2292. can] cam R.
2295. lust] lyst R.
2299. Isrell H.
2306. and] om. R, J, P, R 3, H 5.
2309. Impotent H.
650
Ammonius, a wicked Man, slain
[bk. V
[How Amon3ms a prince of Antioche delit3mg in
pillage and robbery, wit/i other vicious Ijruyng,
fledde in womannes wede aftir taken and slayn.^^
^VTEXT in ordre, compleynywg his distr^sse,
Caw Amonyus, a notable werreiowr,
Ammonius, a
great warrior,
prince of
Antioch, robbed ry. -r i r* i i i • i
the rich and Xo lohn Boch(3j to shewc his heuynesse,
spoiled the poor, t a • i • o
In Antioche prince & gouernoMr. 2316
Of which centre whil he was pocessoMr,
Hadde in custum, & this was his trauaile.
To robbe the riche & spoille the poraile.
neiihlrTotng Spared nouther old nor yong off age, 2320
cared for ^* ^^ Took fro marchauwt*?/ tresowr & richesse,
nothing but And in dclitcs* of lecherous outrage*
drink, Was al his lust, with wach & dronkenesse.
Will in his court of resouw was maistresse, 2324
Causyng the peeple thoruh al the regioun
To rise ageyn hym bi rebelliouw.
Contrarie he was to al good disciplyne;
The peeple aros ageyn hym on a day,
And he for feer, in habite femynyne,
Lik a wrechch fledde cowardli away.
Take at myscheeff, was made no delay,
Falsli confessed*, heeryng many a man,
Ageyn nature that he was a woman.
The trouthe knowe and the sclauwdre riff, [p. 287]
Alle of assent the peeple Antiocheene
Ros attonys; and so he loste his lyff, 2336
Thei wer so woode ageyn hym in ther teene.
Thus of Fortune the chaunge is alwey seene,
Fro bet to wers she can so weel transmue
Thestat of them that wil no vertu sue. 2340
[How Andriscus of lowe birth bom hauyng no title
of Macedoyne kjrng was taken and deied in
prisoun.] ^
"D VT of o thyng Fortune is to blame,
his subjects
rose against
him, and he
fled dressed
as a woman,
and when
caught swore
that he was
one.
But the
people found
out the truth,
and killed him.
Fortune well
knows how to
punish those
who will not
follow virtue;
2328
2332
but she is to
blame when
she sets an
unknown boy
That she is so chauwgable of corage,
on a throne 'by To sette a boy, vnkuowe of birthe & fame,
error, as
happened to
Andriscus,
Bi fals errowr upon a roial stage:
2314. Anonyus R. 2320. age] ages R, J.
2322. delices B, J — outrage] outrages B, J, R.
2332. confessed] confessyng B, R, J, P.
1 MS.J. leaf 1 16 verso. * MS. J. leaf 117 recto.
2344
BK. v] Andriscus, of low Biriby King of Macedonia 651
who had no
other claim
to Macedon
than that he
looked like
King Philip,
Persa's father.
For oon Andriscus bi surquedous outrage,
Withoute title, be subtil compassyng,
Of Macedoyne took on hym to be kyng.
Colour was non his cleym to make stable, 2348
Except that he of cheer & off visage
Was to kyng Phelipp of fetures most semblable,
Wherbi the peeple in ther furious rage
Cauhte oppynyoun, of wilful fals dotage, 2352
Ageyn resoun, [as] Bochas doth descryue.
That kyng Phelipp was rise fro deth to lyue.
Whilom fadir to Persa, as I tolde. Sfug'hf&t
And for Andriscus, brouht up in wrechchidnesse, 2356 ^'^'''p,^*'^ .
dead; and as
Andriscus was
egged on by
others, he took
possession of
the throne.
In presence both of yong & old
Was bold to cleyme be title of rihtwisnesse,
Shewyng no ground but personel liknesse,
Mokkyng the peeple, which bi ther fauowr 2360
Of roial dignite resceyueth the honour.
Thus he that was fostred as a wrech
In miserie and eek in pouerte,
Fro poore bed his hornis dede up strechche 2364
To holde a sceptre of kyngli dignite.
And bi the support of the comounte
He gan wexe pompous and elat, —
Brouht up of nouht, whan he stood in est at. 2368
Nothyng mor cruel, nor nothyng more vengable.
Nor mor hasti to execucioun,*
Nor mor deynous, nor mor vntretable.
Than whan a beggere hath domynacioun: 2372
A curre mor froward than a strong leoun.
And semblabli, non so gret cruelte
As whan a wrech is set in dignite.
This Andriscus in his roial chaieer, 2376
Texecute his hatful cruelte
Gadred peeple in contres ferr & neer
In Macedoyne; & of old enmyte
Began maligne geyn Roome the cite. 2380
But to withsette his froward fals entent,
Oon luuencius, a pretowr, was doun sent.
2353. as3 om. R.
2354. rise] rysen R. 2355. to] of R. 2358. be] his H.
2370. execucioun] doo execucioun B, do execucioun R, J, P.
2378. peeplis H. 2380. ageyn H. 2381. fals] om. R.
2382. luuentus P.
Afterwards, as
was to be
expected, he
became puffed
up with pride;
for nothing is
more cruel and
supercilious
than a wretch
set in dignity.
A cur is more
impudent than
a lion.
He began
to malign
against Rome.
6S2
Juventius, a
praetor, was
sent against
him and
defeated,
because of his
vainglory.
Metellus then
set on him
and took him
grisoner to
.ome.
Thus he was
chastised for
being proud and
disdainful in
his prosperity.
There was once
a king of
Syria called
Alexander
Balas.
After Antiochus
Eupator was
set aside
The Fate of Andriscus. Alexander Balas [|bk. v
But because that he was necligent,
And of despiht[e] took of hym non heede, 2384
He was outraied, & bi Andriscus shent,
With al the peeple that he dede leede.
But the Romeyns, of hope bet to speede,
Han sent Metellus, a ful manli kniht, 2388
To Macedoyne to meete [hym] anon riht.
This worthi man list nat longe tarie,
Set proudli on in hope it sholde auaille,
Made Macedoyne to Roome tributarie,
Took Andriscus manli in bataille,
Brouht hym to Roome wt'tZ? myhti apparaille,
And made hym lyn fetrid in prisoun
For his outraious fals presumpciouti.
Thus for his froward vsurpaciouw,
That he was hawteyn in his prosperite,
Knew nat hymsilfF thoruh fals abusioun.
Blent with a myst of blynd felicite,
List nat remembre of his first pouerte,
Whom to chastise Fortune brouht[e] lowe,*
Because he list nat hymselven for to knowe.
[How Alisaundre ballas kyng of Surre for extor-
cioun pride and vnkyndenesse deied atte mis-
cheef.] ^
THUS kan this ladi pleyen hir paient
Bi a maner of deynous mokerie,
Hir entermes forth serue hew of entent,
To folk that truste hir onli of folic.
And to purpos, — whilom of Surrie
Ther was a kyng, lik as writ Bochas,
Callid Alisaundre, whos surname was Ballas.
Of which Ballas to telle the processe,
First of his risyng & aftir of his fall: 2412
Anthiochus, the stori berth witnesse,
2389. hym] om. R, P.
2396. fals] fell H, 2398. his] hih H.
2399. fals] his fals H. 2402. lofpe] hym lowe B.
2404. pleyn R.
2408. of] in H, R 3, H S — Surrie] sutrie R. 2409. as] a H.
2410. was] is H. — whos surname was Ballas] but truly Prom-
palas P.
241 1. Ballas] Prompalus P.
1 MS. J. leaf 117 recto.
2392
2396 j
2400
2404
2408
BK. V]
The Story of Alexander Balas
653
Callid Eupater, which in especiall
Cleymed title to thestat roiall,
AfFtir his fader named Anthiochus
Epiphanes, the stori tellith thus.
AfFtir whos deth the kyngdam of Surrye
Sholde longe be successioun
To Eupater; & eek for his partie
Demetrius, hostage in Roome toun,
Cleymed a title to* that regeoun
Of Surrye, because Epiphanes
Was brothir* to hym, this stori is no les.
Demetrius fro Roome is come doun
Into Surrye to cleyme his heritage,
Resceyueth the crowne [&] took pocessioun,
Gan wexe proud, presumptuous of corage.
Thus Eupater, that was but yong of age,
Excludid was in Surrie to succeede.
Of Demetrius ferther thus I reede:
Outraious he was aboue mesure,
Riht vengable & ful of cruelte.
Hatful also to eueri creature.
And heuy born of worthi kynges thre;
First in Egipt of worthi Tholome,
And off Attilius in Asie tho regnyng,
And Arirarches in Capadoce kyng, —
Alle of assent ageyn hym ban conspired,
Fond a weie Demetrius to depryue,
His vndoyng so sore thei ha[ue] desired.
And ther entent texecute blyue,
Thei gan a fable of purpos to contryue.
As ye shal heere, togidre as thei wente.
To which al Surrye attonys dede assente.
Thei took a galaunt born of louh lynage,
Callid Ballas, of ther aqueyntaunce.
And afFermede, al of o corage,
How he was sone & iust heir in substaunce
To Epiphanes, & next heir in alliauwce.
To succeede, bi toknis afFermyng,
Next in Surrye to be crownid kyng.
2416
r»% />CCl by Demetrius, a
[p. 2»»J brother of
Epiphanes,
2420
2424
Demetrius grew
proud and
presumptuous
2428
and behaved so
^432 outrageously
that all men
hated him.
2436
Ptolemy,
Attalus
2AA.O ^^^ Ariarthes
^^ conspired
against him
and,
2444
taking a low-
born youth
named Balas,
maintained
2448 that he was
the son of
Epiphanes and
rightful heir to
the throne.
2452
2422. to] in B, R, J. 2424. brothir] brouht B.
2427. &] om. R. 2436. worthi] gret H, R 3.
2437. Attilius] Actilius J, R 3, Attalus P.
2438. Ariarathes P. 2447. Ballas] Prompalus {throughout) P.
6S4
The Story of Alexander Balas
[bk. V
him^AJelander AUsauwdre of puFpos thei hym calle,
kb Tnl^ki'" Because thei thouhte of persone he was able;
of Demetriua. Set hvm up in his roiall stall,
f irst beaten by ■. , •' ^ . i o i i
Demetrius, he Maugre Demetrius, cruel & vengable.
overcame him; And Foitune was to them fauourable,
Made ther purpos fynalli tauaille,
With whom Demetrius hadde a gret bataille.
This Alisauwdre, which namyd was Ballas,
Be Demetrius, as put is in memorie.
First ouercome; but* aftir fill this caas,
He of Demetrie hadde the victorie,
An[d] to encres of his roial glorie,
Of fortune be sodeyn auenture
Ballas the feeld dede on hym recure.
Thus be promociouw of thes kynges thre.
Whan he was crownid kyng of al Surrye,
To fals extorsioun & hatful cruelte
This Alisauwdre his wittis dede applie.
To robbyng, pillage and eek tiranwye,
And despised, shortli to conclude,
The said[e] kynges of ingratitude.
He hadde forget his staat of pouerte,
Knew nat hymsilfF, of fals ambiciouw
Weddid* the douhtir of myhti Tholome,
Callid Cleopatra, as maad is menciouw.
And al his labour in conclsioun
Was onli this, in Bochas as I reede,
Al the kyngdam[ys] aboute hym to posseede.
Who al coueiteth, sumtyme al doth leese;
Oon ageyn alle hath seelde souereynte.
And for Ballas frowardli gan* cheese
To holde werre with kyng Tholome,
And with the forseid worthi kynges thre,
Alle off assent[e] haue such weies souht.
That be ther werkyng he was brouht to nouht.
First Tholome from hym took his wifF,
Cleopatra, & gaf hir in manage
To oon Demetrie, causyng ful gret strifF,
2461. Demetrius] Detryus H.
2462. ouercomen B, J — but] & B, R, J, and P.
2467. be] om. H.
2476. Weddid] Weddith B, R, J, R 3.
2480. kyngdam R. 2483. gan] can B.
but as soon as
he was crowned
king he became
a tyrant and
was ungrateful
to his
benefactors.
He no longer
knew himself,
and married
Qeopatra,
Ptolemy's
daughter.
and coveted all
the kingdoms
about him.
Finally he
made war on
the three
kings.
Ptolemy took
his wife away
from him and
gave her to
one Demetrius,
2456
2460
2464
2468
2472
2476
2480
2484
2488
Ptolemjr.
BK. v] An Envoy on Ingratitude 655
For he that tyme was but yong of age;
But Ballas aftir, be ful gret outrage, 2492
With al his poweer, gadred nih & ferre,
Geyn Demetrie gan to holde werre.
Togidre mette proudli in bataille, TmSJ^but
Ballas constreyned cowardli to flee; 2496 fl"^^b^_
And whan he sauh his poweer dide faile, »^K«" ^^ f.»s
. . , ^ Mam and his
In Arable, a myhti strong contre, fc^li!™* ^°
Zabidus, a prince of gret pouste.
Took hym be force, he quakyng in his dreed, 2500
To kyng Tholome sent anon his hed.
Men may too thynges considren in this caas: [289]
Pride pun[y]shed and vnkyndenesse.
And presumpcioun, in this man Ballas, 2504
Withoute title or cleym of rihtwisnesse
Maad kyng of Surrie, set in gret worthynesse.
What was his eende ? ye get no mor of me, —
His hed smet of & sente to Tholome. 2508
Lenvoye.
THIS tragedie doth naturalli compleyne u^tTSiJ^""*
Vpon this vice callid vnkyndenesse, ^°^ ingratitude.
Which to pun[y]she is torment non nor peine,
Rigowr condigne, flagelle nor duresse, 2512
Enprisownyng nor non erthli distresse.
That may suffise, breeffli to conclude,
Ageyn the vice of ingratitude.
Alle creaturis on this vice comple3me, 2516 [n^^'of *
Lawe, nature decrees rihtwisnesse; ^^^ '^"«-
This monstre in kynde doth the liht desteyne.
Of eueri vertu dirketh the brihtnesse.
Alisaundre can bem herof witnesse, 2520
Which to his foorthris, he of techchis rude
Shewe[d] ageynward gret ingratitude.
2498. centre] Cite H.
2500. This line is replaced by the next to last of preceding stanza H.
2521. forthereris R, H 5, forthereres H, J, furthers P — of] of
his R, J.
es6
Caius and Tiberius Gracchus
[bk. V
The treble
chain of
Cerberus, the
hunger and
thirst of
Tantalus, the
torments of
Ixion and
Typhon, were
insufficient to
chastise those
who are
ungrateful to
their old
friends.
Noble Princes,
do not allow
ungrateful folk
to approach
you; no vice
is more hateful
than theirs.
I must now
write about
Caius and
Tiberius
Graccus, who
were authors of
great seditions
in Rome.
Caius was
made tribune
in the Roman
year 600,
and by his
equal
division of the
public lands
between rich
and poor he
caused
dissensions
among the
people.
Of Herberus thynfernal treble cheyne,
Nor of Tantalus hunger nor thrustnesse, 3524
Of Ixion or Ticius, bothe tweyne,
Rekne the[r] turmewt, remembre ther sharpnesse;
Al wer to litil to chastise or redresse
The hatful vice of them that can delude 2528
Ther freendis olde bi fals ingratitude.
Noble Princis, which in your demeyne
Han gouernauwce of al worldli richesse,
Geyn folk vnkynde looke that ye disdeyne, 2332
SufFre* hem nat haue non interesse
For taproche to your hih noblesse;
For ther is no vice mor hatful to conclude,
Than is the vice of ingratitude. 2536
[Here Bochas writeth of the rebellions and sedi-
cions in Rome, betwixt Tribunys and comouns.] ^
FOLWYNG myn auctowr in stories m^rveilous,
I mut now write the strong rebelliouws
Of Gaivs first & of Tiberius,
And of ther grete hatful sediciouws 2540
Meued in Roome tween tribuns & comouns;
And bi ther stryues how thei gan conspire
For tatteyne falsli to thempire.
The yeer sixe hundred be computacioun, 2544
Gayus Graccus maad tribun in that age,
Aftir the cites first fundaciouw.
Which turnyd aftir to ful gret damage
Of comoun profl&t; for bi the* mortal rage, 2548
Tumulte & noise of comouns in the toun.
Caused a gret part of ther destruccioun.
For in departyng of chauwpayne heritages
Atwen the worthi & poore of the cite 2552
Bi egal porciouns, Graccus with fair langages
Hadde gretli meued al the* comounte.
Bi which occasioun, in stori men may see,
Anothir Graccus, callid the secounde, 2556
Was slayn in Roome & lowe leid on grounde.
2523. Cerberus H. 2524. thrustynesse H.
2526. 2nd ther] the R, J. 2533. SufFre] SufFreth B, J.
2535. to] om. R.
2540. ther]theR. 2548. the] ther B, R, J. 2551. This
stanza is transposed with the next R. 2SS4- the] ther B, R.
1 MS. J, leaf 118 recto.
BK. v]
Caius and Tiberius Gracchus
^S7
2564
^ Aftlr this deth of Graccus, as I reede,
Was chose a tribun callid Munycius,
Which fordede the lawes alle in deede
Of olde Graccus callid[e] Gayus.
But he that was named Tiberius,
With help of Flaccus, tribuns of estat,
In the Capitoile began a gret debat.
Thei wer supported bi the comouwte,
Bi vois of peeple, the woord of no man knowe;
For Graccus parti hih upon a tre
A trompet stood & proudH gan to blowe,
Which slay[e]n was, & fro the tre douw throwe,
Bi which [e] slauhtre, the book makth rehersaile,
Graccus* wex feeble; his parti gan to faille:
For dreed he fledde into the teritorie
Of lanus temple, ran up to a tour.
Whan Tiberius, as put is in memorie,
Sauh in the cite he hadde no fauour,
Disespeired knew no bet socour,
Swerd set at brest [in] presence of Mynerue,
Fulli purposed afforn hir for to sterue.
Ther stood on bi & drouh his hand abak;
Fro that purpos made hym to declyne.
Thus Graccus parti goth day be day to wrak.
And Flakkus took the temple of Lucyne, —
His sone, his freendis [&] almost al his lyne, —
Thei kept them strong; but maugre Jxrr difFence 2584
Thei wer ther slayn be sturdi violence.
After the death
of the second
Gracchus,
Caius' laws
2?6o were repealed
by Mancinus,
and Tiberius
and Flaccus
revolted.
supported by
the commons,
but were forced
to flee.
2568
Tiberius took
572 refuge in the
temple of
Minerva ;
3576
and Flaccus and
his party be-
2-gQ took themselves
■^ to the temple
of Lucina,
where they
were slain.
Whil Graccus freendis fauht for his partie, [p.
And he hymsilfF constreyned was for* dreed
To preye a boy of his cumpanye.
To take a suerd & smyte[n] of his hed.
Set on a spere with the blood maad red,
Sent it his mooder, compleynyng in hir teene,
Into hir castel that callid was Misseene.
200I *^'"^<^<^*>"'
y^i prayed a boy
among his
followers to
2588 smite off his
head, w^hich he
did.
2592
2559. Minucius P. 2560. lawes] lawe H, law R 3.
2566. vois] noise H, noyse R 3, H 5 — woord] voice H, vols
R 3, voice P.
2569. tre] gree H.
2571. Graccus] Flaccus B, R, J, R 3, P. Flaccus is corrected to
Graccus in H.
2577. brest] the brest R, H — in] om. R, H, J, H 5.
2582. temple] peeple H.
2585. ther] om. H — sturdi] study R. 2587. for] of B, R, J.
658 The Wife of Hasdrubaly who burnt herself up [bk. v
mo?het Cornelia NaiTiyd Comclia his moder was in deede,
chadren.^and Whilom douhtit to grete Scipioun.
their goods Hif children alle slayFeln, as I reede,
were cscncdtcd ■/ l j -^ 7
to the town. And Graccus goodis achetid to the tou«. 2596
Therof afFtir maad a dyuysioun
Bi iugement thoruhout[e} the cite,
Wher most was neede among the comounte.
cWpSpie" Of Graccus side fyue hundred slayn & twain* 2600
TcSSSFiac^^l'Vpo" ^" ^\\\[s] callid Auentyne.
party, of whom And OoDynyus, a consul, dede his pevne
many were in- -^_ , "^ . , , i
nocent. (Ji ther conspiryng the ground to serche & myne.
And Flaccus parti to brynge to ruyne, 2604
He slouh too thousand bi hasti iuggement,
Amongis which was many an innocent.
[How the wif of Hastrubal brent hirsilf & hir
childre.] ^
Si"„t^dT,'about PJEER lohn Bochas in especiall
of*^clrthT^,'°° -^^^^ ^° remembre how Cartage newe ageyn 2608
Destroied was, & how [due] Hasdruball
Cam to myscheefF; the trouthe was weel seyn.
Which to reherse of newe it wer but veyn,
Sith heer-toforn is maad cleer mencioun 2612
Bothe of ther brennyng & ther destrucciouw.
HatiXS" Sauff heer he tellith how Hastruballis wifF,
wife preferred Qnli teschcwen to lyuen in seruage,
QCflui to scrvi" ^ '
tude and burnt Ches with hit childre for to lese hir lyfF, 2616
herself up to- . , ..^ ... f. ^ .
gether with her And wilrulli, ot turious corage,
young sons. gj^^ ^^j j^-^ sonys, tcudte & yong of age.
Among the flawmys & the colis rede
Consumyd were* into asshes dede. 3620
^nels^^fayed.Dido the fitste that bike that cite
built the city, And made touris & the stronge wall,
and she too . t*
burnt herself Which was bctrasshcd falsly* of Enee,
AfForn remembred the fires funerall, — 2624
And aftir longe the wif of Hasdruball
Ches rather deie with hir childre tweyne,
Than among Romeyns for to lyue in peyne.
2600. twainj] fyue B, R. 2605. too] too tho H.
2609. duc3 om. R, J — Hasdruball] Hanyball H, R 3.
2615. to] & H. 2618. yong & tendre H.
2620. were] was B, R, J. 2621. 2nd that] l)e H, R 3.
2623. falsly] also B, R, J.
1 MS. J. leaf 118 verso.
up,
BK. y"] Jonathan Maccabeus; Demetrius the Second 659
[Off Machabeus loathas taken bi the kyng of
Surre.] ^
IN order suyng, vnto lohn Bochas
Ther appeared an heuy man of siht,
Machabeus the worthi loathas,
Whiche ocupied for wisdam & for myht
Offis of prynce, [of] preesthod & of kniht;
Be title of luda of werris took themprise,
Be cleym of Leuy, as preest dede sacrefise.
The lawe of lewes manli to diiFende
With al the Lond[e] of Promyssioun,
This loathas ful knihtli dede entende
Ageyn al enmyes aboute hem enviroun.
Til of Surrye the fals[e] kyng Tryphoun
Be treynys compassed & promys falsli holde
Took loathas, of whom riht now I tolde.
Machabeoruw is rehersid all.
Of his knihthod & his worth)messe.
With al the tresouns in especiall
Wrouht be Tryphon be many gret falsnesse:
His subtil sleyhtis and his doubilnesse, —
Them to reherse, ye gete no mor of me;
For in the Bible the stori ye may see. 2648
..A^Q Jonathan Mac-
2028 cab«u.. prince
and high priest
of Judea,
2632
was taken
prisoner by the
2636 <lf"t of Try-
'■' phon, king of
Syria.
2640
As the whole
story is told
in the Book of
I. Maccabees,
2644 you'll get no
more of it
from me.
[How Demetrius the secounde lost at last his
hede.] 2
BVT I will tume to Demetrius
That callid was Demetrius {le secounde,
Which bi descent cam frow Anthiochus,
And bi his manhod, as it was weel founde, 2652
Dede the pride of kyng Ballas confounde,
Callid Alisaundre, which bi gret outrage
Hadde putte his fader from his heritage.
This Demetrius, famous & notable, 2656
Vpon Parthois hadde many gret victorie,
Til kyng Arsacides, double and deceyuable,
HymsilfF delityng gretli in veynglorie,
2636. Promyssioun] punyssioun H. 2637, 41. lonathas H.
2659. veynglorie] victorye H.
^ MS. J. leaf 118 verso, ' MS. leaf J. 118 verso.
Demetrius the
Second, a de-
scendant of An-
tiochus, who
confounded the
pride of Balas,
won many
victories over
the Parthians,
but was finally
captured by
Arsaces.
66o The Vicissitudes of Demetrius the Second [|bk. v
Bi his sleihti fraudis deceptorie, 2660
Vndir a shad we of feynyng & fals cheer
Took Demetrius vnwarH prisoneer.
fhame?aft°er'''' And to gret sclaundre & hyndryng* of his name,
Kt^sJJu in Arsacides bamaner moquerye 2664
poor array. Made Demetrius, for despiht & shame,
made him n i* • i r i •
marry his roorli arraicd, of hate & gret envie
his will. For to be lad thoruhout al Surrye;
Made hym aftir, bi gret auisement, 2668'
To wedde his douhtir ageyn his owne entent.
S" Demetrius This Demetrius was kept out of pres, [p. 291]
tried to escape That but fewe hadde of hym [a] siht,
Vnto tyme that Arsacides 2672
Was ded & passed, for al his gret[e] myht.
Than he caste tescape awey be fliht;
And secreli tacomplisshe his entent,
He gat hym counsail that was of his assent. 2676
ihe'^ hdp1>fi'^ Gallymandrus, a lord of that contre,
knight called Which that was of his assent in deede,
Callimandrus; y i n-i i i
In ther niht to keepe hem mor secre
Made Demetrius for to chauwge his weede, 2680
And preuy weies foorth he dede hym leede.
But al for nouht; his fliht was but in veyn,
For bi strong pursut he was take ageyn.
caught Tnd AfFtir bi constreynt presentid to the kyng, 2684
brought back That he gan wexe weri of his lyfF,
to his wife. ° •! !• r 11 i •
After their two Kept mot streihtli, folk on hym waityng,
children were » i i • i i • •cr
born, his chain And maugre hym presentid to his win,
i^senfd!" With hir tabide ful heuy and pensyfF. 2688
But whan thei hadde childre atween hem tweyne,
To go mor large loosnyd was his cheyne.
helndefvoure" And thus he hadde space & fre licence
to escape. To gon and comen at his auauntage; 269a
For whil his wifF heeld with hym residence,
Thei dempte his childre wer suflSisauwt hostage.
But he was euere vnstable of his corage.
With Gallymandrus the forseid[e] kniht 2696
Thre tyme take & brouht ageyn be fliht.
2663. hyndryng & sclaundryng B, R, J.
2671. aj om. R, J. 2677. Callimandrus P.
2679. mor] om. H. 2686. awaityng H. 2689, children R.
BK. v3 The Vicissitudes of Demetrius the Second
66i
And for he was so dyuers manyfold,
Kyng Fraactes, in tokne he was vnstable,
Sent hym thre dees forgid squar of gold,
To pleye raket as a child chaungable, —
His disposicioun was so variable.
But for to restreyne his condicioun,
He was efFt take & fetrid in prisoun.
But whan Fortune hadde youen hym a pull,
Bi many dyuers stra[u]nge aduersite.
To punshe hym mor Pharactes wexeth dull.
And Demetrius of prisoun was maad free,
Ful restored ageyn to his contre,
Wex proud agejm, of newe it is so fall,
That he was hated of his lieges all.
Cleopatra, his mooder, that was queen
Of al Egipt & wifF to Tholome,
Was with hir lord at strifF, who list to seen,
Which tumid aftir to gret aduersite.
But to strengthe hir parti thus wrouht she,
Made hir sone for to take on honde
For hir to fihte ageyn[es] hir husbonde.
But Tholomeus callid Euergetes,
Geyn Demetrius difFendyng his contre.
Made Zebenna to putte hymsilf in pres,
Sone of a marchaunt, bom of low degre,
To make a cleym bi fals subtilite.
Of al Surrye to haue pocessioun,
For hym aleggyng title of adopcioun.
He to be sone to [old] Anthiochus,
Cleymyng therbi the kyngdam of Surrye,
Onli texclude the said Demetrius.
And Tholomeus, to susteene the partie
Of Zebenna, with al his cheualrie
Gadrid in Egipt & contrees enviroun,
Ageyn Demetrius proudli is come doun.
And Fortune with hir double face
Caused the cuntre bi rebellioun.
That Demetrius stood cleene out of grace;
Wherbi the peeple of al that regeoun
King Phraates,
seeing that he
was as full
of whims as a
2700 chil'^> ^°t h>i°
three gold dice
to play racket
with and locked
him up.
2704
But afterwards
not wanting to
punish him any
more, he let
him out, at
which E)cme-
2708 trius became so
insufferable
that all his
subjects hated
him.
2712 C1«'P'"^»' •»'»
' mother, was at
strife with her
husband Euer-
getes, and in-
duced
Demetrius to
, take her side,
2710 whereupon
Euergetes in-
cited Zebina,
son of a mer-
chant, to lay
claim to his
kingdom, and,
supporting him
2720 with an army.
2724
2728
2732
drove out De-
metrius and,
the f>eople
willing, made
Zebina king
2736
2699. Phrahartes P. 2700. dies R, dyes H. 2710. so3 no H.
2714. to] om. R. 2719. Euergites H.
2726. sone] om. H — old] om. R, J.
662 The mischievous End of Zebina the Usurper [bk. v
Wer hool ageyn hym In ther oppynyoun:
That be Tholomes wonderful werkywg
Zebenwa ther resceyued was as kyng.
of all Syria. Xhus Zcbcnna, bi fals intrusiouw, 2740
Of al Surrie was maad[e] lord & kyng;
Title was ther non, but collusiouw,
Texclude Demetrius bi subtil compassyng.
Yit as I fynde, his parti defendyng, 2744
How Demetrius Zebenwa gan assaille,
Ther quarel dareyned with a gret bataille.
foSght"him Gret peeple slay[e]n vpon outher side,
afain d^eaTed*, Demctrius put from his regeoun 3748
and compelled And ouercomcn, for [al] his gret[e] pride,
to flee to , 1 rr 1 • % .^ ^ ^ '
Tyre, At gtet myscheett to his conrusiouw,
Hauyng no socour nor consolaciouw;
But with a fewe chose of his meyne 2752
Fledde be watir to Tire the cite,
warsmkten^off. L*^ ^^ ^^ wolde hauc luyed ther in pes, [p. 292]
Bi a feynt maner of perfeccioun,
Withynwe the temple of myhti Hercules 2756
Vnder a shadwe of religiouw.
But sodeynli at his comywg doun
Of what Into Tire & at his arryuaille,
""his pride? His hed smet of; what myht* his pride [a]vaille 12760
was
[How zebenna kyng of Suixe bi intrusiotin entiyng
had mischeuys endyng.] ^
S^iw'iineage. nTHDUCHYNG Zebcnna, of whom I spak toforn,
and hardly JL Poorli brouht Up & of louh lynage,
more than a.,/., ,, , , J o '
beggar, came And 01 kyurcedc but a begger born,
Bochas; Cam tofor Bochas trist off his visage, 2764
Sore weepyng, muet of langage,
Gan compleyne.his woful auenture,
Vnwar & sodeyn, impossible to recure.
2739. as3 a R.
2746. Ther] J)e H. 2749. al] om. R.
2752. Butl om. H.
2753. be] by a H.
2760. His hed smet of] He lost his hede H, R 3, H 5 — myht]
dede B.
2765. muet] Inuett H.
2767. & Impossible H.
1 MS. J. leaf 119 recto.
BK. v] The mischievous End of Zehina the Usurper
663
His condiclouns sumwhat dul & rude, 3768
First in pouert, proud & presumptuous,
Appechid afftir of gret ingratitude
Shewed in his* lyfF to kyng Anthiochus,
His firste forthere[r], the stori tellith thus: 2772
For which Anthiochus gretli was anoyed.
Caste a mene bi whiche he was destroied.
Ther was a cosyn that callid was Grispus
To Anthiochus, & of the same lyne,
Which be title off Demetrius
Cleymeth as heyr, be many vnkouth signe,
To regne in Surrye, & proudli gan maligne
Ageyn Zebenna, whos parti to supporte,
Stood Anthiochus cheeflF, as I can reporte.
This said[e] Grispus, yong & tendre of age,
Bi the foorthryng & supportacioun
Off Anthiochus, hadde in mariage
His owne douhtir, with gret pocessioun.
That Zebenna, for short conclusioun,
Compellid was, for al his grete myht.
To Anthioche for to take his fliht. 2788
And ther he fill in so gret pouerte,
Failed moneye for to paie wages
The soudiour[e]s, which in that contre
Abide vpon hym of al maner ages, 2792
Straunge folk & sondry of langages,
Theuys, moordrers, mansle[e]rs & pillo«rs, —
First off lubiter assailyng the tresowrs
To his disclaundre, perpetuel of memorye.
The difFame aroos so many fold.
In louis temple the baneer of victorie
He took a-way, that was of massifF gold.
With a gret ymage which stood ther of old, 2800
Of gold also, with othir mo tresours.
With which pillage he paied his* soudiowrs.
Of sacrilege hauyng no conscience,
Tescape awey he entrid is the se; 2804
But Eolus bi gret[e] violence
With wynd & tempest as he dede flee
2771. his] this B, R. 2775. Griphus P.
2790. wages] his wages H. 2793. folkes R.
2799. massy R. 2802. his] the B, R.
for after his
sudden rise to
power he grew
proud and was
ungrateful to
Anttodias,
who, greatly
annoyed, turned
__,,< round and sup-
^770 ported the
claim of his
cousin Grypus
to the Syrian
throne.
2780
Grypus had
married Antio-
chus' daughter,
and Zebina
2784. "** forced to
flee to Antioch,
where he be-
came so poor
that he turned
robber
•ittsft *°'^ despoiled
^79" the temple of
Jupiter to pay
his men.
Little he cared
for sacrilege;
but ^olus blew
so hard when
he tried to sail
away, that he
was caught
664 Evil Conduct causes the Destruction of Kings [bk. v
Dede vnto hym ful gret aduersite.
And al his meyne forsook hym of entent; 2808
And he was take & to Grispus sent,
Grypus^^who ^yng of Sutryc, to whom whan he was brouht,
to"death^ ^'™ GafF on hym be iuggement this sentence :
For sacrilege that he hadde wrouht, 2812
Spoillyng templis be gret violence,
Doyng to goddis no maner reuerence, —
For which Grispus comauwdid hath as iuge
That he be slayn; ther was no bet refuge. 2816
I wr'etch.'af'he ^f bcrthe a boy, clamb up to roial stage,
began. Btouht up of nouht, & Set in dignite,
Knew nat hymsilfF, wex cruel of corage,
Aroos fro pouert to gret prosperite. 2822
But thoruh Fortunys mutabilite,
That blynde ladi so made hir poweer strechche, —
As he began, so ended* as a wrechche.
Sr"d"power Reknid thestatis of worldli regalie, 2824
nMs hTve""*^ Nouwbre of men*, gold, tresour & richesse,
caused the StatU castelis, paleis on ech partie,
destruction of ^^ i • t^ i i i m i i
many a king. Conqucst bi T ortune clymbyng to hih noblesse,
Cruel suerd conveied be wilfulnesse, 2828
Poweer extort wij) couetise oppressyng.
Cause destruccioun of many erthli kyng.*
knoVihemr^^ But in contrarie, who list hymsilf to knowe,
atthou h"^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ grace enclyned to meeknesse, 2832
brought up in Thouh he fto poucrt in streihtnesse brouht up lowe
rise to power And is bc vertu raised to worthynesse,
are°worthy'^t'o'' With sceptte of pcs & suerd of rihtwisnesse
^vereigns. IndifFercntU his doomys demenyng, — 2836
Such oon is able to be cleped a kyng.
and^d'ecel""^' What is cheef cause, grounde & occasioun [p. 293]
endanger the That pfiucis ofFtc stoude in iupattic
welfare of i ii- i • • 11
princes and Qf worldli chauwgis m soch dyuysioun, 2840
have been the _, t i r •
occasion of Regnyng among hem the serpent ot envie,
many a trag y. gyj^rmjaciouw, feyuyng, flaterie,
The sooth out serched, who-so list to look.
Be many tragedie expert in this book. 2844
2822. hir^ his H.
2823. so ended3 to eenden B, to enden R, J, R 3.
2825. men] meyne B, R, J, P, H c, R 3. 2826. on] in H
2830. Cause] Causeth R, J, P — kyng] thyng B, R.
2848
2852
Bituitus, king
of the Auver-
gnians, rebelled
against the
Romans
and despised
their lordship.
BK. v] The Fate 0} Bituitus, King of the Auvergnians 665
[How Bitynctus kyng of Auergnatis bi the Romayns
was tdien and deied in prisoun.] ^
BYTINCTUS next, of Auergnatis kyng,
Cam tofor Bochas gynnyng his cowpleynt,
Of his distresse the ordre rehersyng,
And how that he was maad feeble & feynt,
Ageyn the Romeyns myscheuousli atteynt,
Natwithstandyng, to meynteene his quarell
He cast of pride ageyn hem to rebell.
But it is first put in remembraunce,
How Auergnatis is a nacioun
Hang5aig on Gaule, longyng* vnto Fraunce,
Of which Bytynct stood in pocessioun,
Hauyng despiht in his oppynyoun
To the Romeyns any wise tobeie.
But proudH caste ageyn hem to werreie.
His labour was to stonden in fraunchise
And been at large from ther subieccioun.
Gan of pride ther lordshipe to despise,
Gadred peeple of presumpciouw.
Whom for to meete Fabius was sente doun,
A myhti consul, which knihtli took on honde
For that parti Bituitus to withstonde.
Of whos comyng Bituitus took disdeyn,
Because the folk which Fabius dide leede
Wer but fewe; & whan he hath hem seyn,
28=i6
A consul
named Fabius
2860 '^^^ ''"I.
agamst him
with a small
force,
2864
However, the
Romans woo
which Bituitus
scorned, saying
that there were
not enough of
2868 the™ to feed
He seide of scorn: "this peeple, who taketh heede.
May nat sufiise nvyn houndis for to feede
Whan thei be slayn; to fewe thei been in nouwbre,
With multitude that I shal hem encoumbre." 2872
An hundred thousand in his vaunwarde he hadde,
That passe sholde of Auuerne* the ryueer;
And foure score thousand beside that he ladde.
The consul Fabius mette hym with good cheer 2876
Whan he was passid of Rodamus the daunger,
Fauht al the day til it drouh to niht;
The Romeyns wan; ther foon wer put to fliht.
2845. Bytinctus] Bituitus P {throughout) .
2846. begynnyng H. 2854. longyng] longeth B, J, R.
2855. Bityntus H, Bityng R 3, Bytyng H 5.
2859. stonden] stoden H. 2873. vauntwarde H.
2874. Auueme] Auuemer B, Auuemeer R, J, awuerne H, R 3,
Auuerne P. 2877. Rhodamus P. 2879. wer] was H.
^ MS. J. leaf 1 19 verso.
666 The Tyrant Euergetes and Cleopatra his Wife [|bk. v
sSjcS'lf his At the ryuer, lik as seith the book, 2880
men.
Bituitus was
Ther wer drownid & brouht to myschaunce
taken prisoner FifFti thousand, as thci the watit took,
and died in _,, , _ - .
chains. 1 horuh r oitunys rroward variauwce.
And bi a treyne, tencres of his greuauwce, 2884
Bituitus take was of the Romeyns,
Dampnid to prysouw ther to deye in cheyns.
[How the tiraunt Euergetes weddid queen Cleopatras
slouh hir eldist son, exilid his wif, weddid hir
douhter.] ^
?aTrl! d^auThter A FFTIR whos fall, pitous* to tecdc & scen,
of Ptolemy /\. QfF Epiphancs* the erete Tholome 2888
tpiphanes, i i • r>-i
next came Cam the douhtir, Cleopatras be queen,
before Jiochas, -^ , ,. ,.*
her white (jan cowpleyne hir gret aduersite.
cheeks stream- ryr* Trr*ii*i
ing with blood rlir lurious sorwe diitacid hir beute,
and tears. j^-^. (.j^ggjj^jg white, of blood & tctis Hieynt, 2892
Rent with hir handis, wer pitousli bespreynt.
w^fe of PhlL To Philometer she weddid was afforn,
metor and had Whilom sone to Tholome the kyng;
two sons, and , -' o'
after the death And bi hit lord, in trewe wedlok born, 2896
of her husband „., iiii iii
married Euer- 1 oo sonys shc hadde, as be olde writyng.
getes, AfFtir whos deth anon vp[on] suyng.
To Euergetes, a prince yong of age.
She was ageyn ioyned in mariage. 2900
ki^g by'il^r Be title of hir in Egipt lord & sire,
title and, like Kyng of that lond, cruel & despitous,
a tiger, slew -J = , ' r ' ^
her eldest son Whos stoH sheweth no kyngdam nor empire
ding day. May of themsilfF make no man vertuous; 2904
For lik a tigre this tirauwt furious,
Hir eldest sone, day of ther mariage,
Born to been heir, he slouh of mortal rage.
drwe herefrom Nat aftir longe this extort cruelte, 2908
Egypt and Al-be thei hadde childre atween hem tweyne,
Out of Egipt he made hir for to flee,
And of malis gan at hir disdeyne.
2885. Bitinctus R, Bytyntus H, Bitinctus J, Bituitus P.
2887. pitous] pitoush B, pitously R, J.
2888. Epiphones B, J.
2898. anon vpon] anon vp R, J, R 3, P, vpon anoon H,
anoon vpon H 5.
2903. empire] Emp^rowr R.
1 MS. J. leaf 119 verso.
BK. v] The Tyranny of EuergeUs 66j
I trowe she hadde mateer for to pleyne ! 2912 marnwi •»«
He took hir douhtir whan that she was gon, against nature.
Ageyn nature, & weddid hire anon.
She callid was Cleopatras also; gt JSpifrf *
But Euergetes, to shewe hym mor vengable 2916 {^J^^^^^i^^
Ageyn hir mooder, that was fro Egipt go, her.
The cite which was to hir fauourable
The peeple exiled, he, wood & vntretable,
In hir despiht[e] gaiF that noble toun 2920
Of hatful malis to straunge nacioun.
But whan he knew[e] thoruh his cruel deedis [p. 294] J^i^^'how
And gan conceyue how he was coupable, had°mad"wm-
Sauh ageyn hym the manyfold hatreedis 2924 »ew. he went
.,"•'.. r-i "'*° voluntary
And conspiraciouws or statis honourable, exUe with his
TT t 1 II new wife ia
xie at large to be mor vengable, order to be
Geyn Cleopatras to gynne an vnkouth striff, to'w«[k hiT
Wente into exil with his newe wiiF. 2928 cS^m. "^
Gadred peeple his olde wifF tassaille, ihlM t^T
On hir childre to shewe mor vengaunce, iSneX b«tti^*'^
A day assigned, heeld with hir bataille:
But which of hem was dryuen to vttraunce, 2932
Myn auctour pleynli put nat in remembraunce.
But suyng after, thus of hym I reede.
How of malis he wrouhte a cruel deede.
Which to reherse is nouther good nor fair 2936 dhL^m^^
But terrible & abhomynable: ^"S'hf'*'*
He dismembred hir sone & his heir to her at ubie.
On pecis smale, this tiraunt most vengable.
And whan the moodir sat at hir roial table, 2940
With bodi & hed, at a solempnite,
Leet hir be serued of froward cruelte.
WherofF al Egipt hadde indignacioun; E^tia^*
And for tauenge this cruel gret outrage 2944 "^ '° "^^'8-
Thei took his platis, basnet, haberioun, threw his
• 1 I • 1 r armour and
And his cotearmour wrouht or gret costage, itames out of
Fro ther templis rent out his image,
In tokne he was a tiraunt most atteynt, 2948
Ech thyng diffacid that was of hym depeynt,
2915. Cleopatra P.
2929. oldejnewH, R 3,neweH 5. 2938. his] hir H, R 3, H 5.
2942. froward] hatefull H, hateful R 3, H j.
2944. this] his R — gret] om. R,
the temples.
668
The Story of Jugurlha
[bk. V
no^orJ^of'hU Whos hatful story, repleet of wrechchydnesse,
nor'o"/ cieo^' ^"^ °^ vengauMcc & froward myscheeuys, —
patra; for he Therforc I dceiTie Bochas list nat expresse aoija
did not want -_ ri'irrririiiri
to disfigure his Mor oi his Ijot, tulhlled or al repreuys;
Off Cleopatra writ nat the fynal greeuys
In this chapitle, what fatal weie she took,
List the mateer sholde difFace his book. 2956
[How lugurta by*
slouh rightful
drowned.] ^
intrusioun
heires and
of Munedy K3mg
aftir himsilf was
A
FFTIR this woful dedli auenture
Off Cleopatras, whos stori is ful old,
After Cleopatra,
Jugurtha, the
manly man,
told his tale -^ t
to Bochas. He Cam lugurta, Jje manli man, to lure,
wit but took And to lohn Bochas hath his tale told
word lightly. Of his conquestis & deedis manyfold;
Subtil off wit, & as myn auctowr seith,
GafF litil force for to breke his feith.
Masinissa, his
uncle, had a
son called
Micipsa, who
was his heir;
and after Masi-
nissa had de-
prived Jugurtha
of the right of
succession
because he was
a bastard, and
Micipsa became
king on his
father's death,
he was very
friendly to
Jugurtha.
Micipsa had
two sons, Ad-
herbal and
Hiempsai,
2960
But in ordre the stori to conveie
Of lugurta & of his kynreede, —
Masmyssa kyng of Munedie, soth to seie,
His vnkle was; & also, as I reede,
The seid[e] kyng hadde a sone in deede,
Callid Misipsa, eldest be writyng,
AfFtir his day born* to regne as kyng.
This Masmyssa ordeyned aftirward,
Toforn his deth, ofF hool entenciouw.
Because lugurta was born a bastard,
To depruye [hym] ofF al successioun,
In his testament; but in conclusiouw.
His sone Misipsa, aftirward maad kyng,
Was to lugurta freendli & louyng.
Misipsa hadde too sonys, as I fynde;
The ton of hem callid Herbales,
The seconde, the stori maketh mynde,*
Was that tyme namyd Hiemsales.
2956. difface shulde H, R 3, H j.
2958. Cleopatra P. 2959. Jugurtha P.
2966. Masinissa P — Numedye R 3, Numedy P.
2969. Micipsa H, P. 2970. born to] for to B, R, om. J, P.
2978. Micipsa H, R 3, P.
2979. Herbales] Harbales R, Adherbales P.
2980. mynde] mencioun B, R, J.
2981. Hyempsales H, Hiempsales P.
1 MS. J. leaf 120 recto; by] of by J.
2964
2968
2972
2976
2980
BK. V]
The Story of Jugurtba
669
With whom lugurta put hymselfF in pres,
For tabide & duelle in speciall,
Lik as ther cosjm in ther court roiall.
Cherisshed ful weel because that he was wis
And riht Hkli of disposicioun,
Chose afftirward for a synguler pris
To gon to Spaigne to helpe Scipioun
Geyn Numentaynes, a famous myhti toun.
And ther lugurta so knihtli hath begonne.
That bi his noblesse the toun anon was wonne.
And to remembre his knihthod of entent.
His worthynesse & his hih renoun,
To Micipsa lettres wer doun sent
Bi the forseid worthi Scipioun;
Which gaff so gret a comendacioun
To lugurta, hym callyng in that werre
Of manli prowesse the yong[e] lodesterre.
Off kyng Micipsa receyued notabli,
Callid hym sone bi adopcioun;
The kynge ded soone, lugurta traitottrli
Slouh Hiemsales, heir be successioun,
He of that rewm to haue pocesseoun.
This was his custum, how-euer his* title stood,
Bi slauhtre & moordre for to gete good.
He list to goddis do no reuerence.
Of his nature wilful & rekles,
Hauyng nouther remors nor conscience
Touchyng the slauhtre of Hiemsales,
Falsli practised for his owne encres.
For which[e] moordre Romejms han sent doun
A consuleer to doon correccioun,
Calipumyus callid, that was sent
Onli to pun[y]she that horrible deede;
But with tresour his eien wer so blent.
Of execusioun that he took non heede.
The Romeyn[e]s ouercome with meede
with whom
Jagortha
dwdt.
2984
Afterwards he
went to Spain
and won the
town of
Numantia
2988
—s^- and was
2992 highly com-
mended by
Sdpio.
2996
3000
Micipsa called
him his adopted
son; but when
he died Jugnr-
tha slew Hiemi>-
sal to get
possession of
the realm
himself.
[p.
3004
20 d ^* ''^** * rede-
ly J J less, irreverent
man without
remorse or con-
3008 science.
3012
As a result of
this murder,
Caipumius
was sent down
to punish him,
but Jugurtha
3016 bought him off.
2983. especiall H.
2989-91 are replaced by the three last lines of the next stanza, the
rest of which is omitted H.
2989. Mumentaynes R, J, Namantines P.
2997. callyng] clepyng H. 3004. 2nd his] the B, R, J, P.
3006. He] who H. 3009. Hyempsales H.
3017. ouercome] touercome R.
670
The Story of Jugurtha
[bk. V
and next pro-
ceeded to the
murder of Ad-
herbal,
causing great
■lander and
defame.
GafF to lugurta, bi collusioun,
Off this moordre a coloured fals pardou^.
Bi which he took a maner hardynesse 3020
Of tiranwye in hym weel exercised,
Gadred peeple, of hatful cursidnesse,
And in hymsilff gan crueli deuise
Texecute the silue same guise 3024
Of fals[e] moordre, — I meene now non othir, —
To slen Herbales, the seconde brothir,
That he allone bi fals intrusioun
Of Numedie myhte be lord & kyng. 3028
Thus of his cruelte, moordre & fals tresoun
The noise was born by langage & writyng,
Of which the griffis, falsli abrod spreedyng,
Brouht[e] foorth in hyndryng of his name 3032
Frut of disclauwdre & report of difFame.
Mortal tresoun was curid vndir flowrs,
To saue hymsilff bi sum subtilite.
And specialli with his gret tresours 3036
Tappese the senat, yifFit wolde ha bee;
But ther ageyw[e]s al the comouwte
Made ageyn hym a coniuraciouw.
On his fals moordre to do correccioun. 3040
were^^t fJom Fourc thousand men of armys wer doun sent
With a pretour Icallid Actilius;
The which[e] pretowr sette al his entent
To gadre tresour; for he was coueitous: 3044
And couetise is contrarious
Vnto knihthod, as auctours alle expresse,
And stepmooder vnto worthynesse.
^^^ *?'^'*'''"»A siege he leide aboute a myhti tour, 3048
siege to the o i i • • i »»— •-
tower in which Wheryn lugurta put al his richesse.
his wealth and The siege was leid for loue of that tresoMr
to^ terms', Mor than for worshepe or for worthynesse;
Wherbi he loste his name & his noblesse. 3052
Ther discounfited, brouht vnto myschaunce,
AiFtir for meede made his alliauwce
Although he
covered his
treason under
flowers and
spent his
treasure freely
on the Senate,
the commons
rebelled.
Rome under
Atilius, a
f)raetor, who
ooked for a
bribe.
being defeated,
came
to his great
shame.
3023. gan3 hath R3 — crueli] cursidli J, R, cursedly P —
deuise] devised H, deuysid R 3, deuysede, H 3.
3026. Harbales R, Adherbal P. 3030. &] & bi R, J.
3042. callid R, called P — Attilius P, Aulyus H, R 3.
3049. Wheryn] wheron H.
BK. v] The Story of Jugurtba 671
With lugurta, to his encres of shame, ^db^JS^tff
Caused AfFrik thoruh fals[e] cheuisauTtce, 3056 ^^^"i^ i«it,
Thei togidre disclaundrid be diffame,
Them to withdrawe fro thobeissaunce
Of the Romeyns; & mor themsilfF tauaunce,
To ther purpos, coruptid with tresour 3060
Many tribun & many senatour.
Of newe ageyn, al the comounte M^iS^Smc
Fro Roome sente Gayus Marrius, & w""
For the moordres & horrible cruelte 3064 «t matter«
Wrouht bi lugurta, the tiraunt funous.
Which to refourme the said Gayus,
A consuler, of purpos was sent doun,
A manh knyht & famous of renoun. 3068
Ful notabli the werris he began, ^^^l»\nt
Wrouht euery thyng of hih[e] prouidence; * ki^^J'^
And Fortune, which helpeth hardi man, f^mlkT*''
GaiF hym gret fauowr bi hir influence. 3072
And aldirfirst he dede his diUigence
From hym tauoide al that wer vicious,
Delicat peeple & folkis lecherous.
A day was set & taken of bataiUe; 3076 Irbrib^^S"*^
But* lugurta bi fals subtilite '*"'•
ProfFreth gret good, which myht[e] nat auaille.
To haue corupt, yif it wolde haue be.
The said Marius; but euer in o degre 3080
He stood ay stable, vpriht as a wall.
And took non heed to his proffre attall.
Than lugurta, in parti disespeired, ^°J aUil^'hfm-
Gretly astonid withynne hymsilfF musyng, 3084 ^^.Ttkig^"
Ful* lik a man hyndred & appeired, Mauretania.
He gan purpose anon a newe thyng:
Of Mauritayne he wente to the kyng
To gete helpe, which callid was Boccus, 3088
Hym to socoure ageyn[es] this Gayus.
3058. fro] for R.
3061. 2nd many] many a H.
3063. Caius P. 3067. QjnsuU H. 3073. aldirlast H.
3074. hym] om. R. 3075. folkis] folk// ^at wer H.
3077. But] Bi B.
3083. disepeired R.
3085. Ful] But B, R, J, P.
3089, 98, 104 Gayus] Marius P.
672
37?^ Death of Jugurtha. Envoy
[bk.
Bochus soon
repented,
and through
Sulla's
mediation be-
trayed Jugurtha
and sent him
prisoner to
Marius.
His kingdom
again became
tributary to
Rome; the
people were
forgiven;
but Jugurtha
almost went
mad with
anger, and the
Romans threw
him into the
Tiber bound to
a stone for his
treason.
Tween hem was maad of newe an alliauwce, [p. 296]
The which<? laste but a litil space;
For kyng Boccus gan falle in repentaunce, 3092
Caste he wolde resorte to the grace
OIF the Romeyns & no mor trespace.
And to parfourme this entenciouw,
He made to Gayus this mediacioun: 3096
Ther was oon Scilla, callid a questowr,
Of Gayus hoost[e] hadde gouernaunce;
For kyng Boccus he was mediatot^r,
That ther was new[e]li accordaunce 3100
Tween hym & Gayus; & hi the purueiaunce
Off this Boccus lugurta anon was hent,
Maugre his myht, & to Gayus sent.
And al his kyngdam withoute resistence 3104
Geyn to Romeyws caw vnder obeissaunce.
And Marius forgafF them ther offence,
Resceyueth hem vndir assurauwce,
That he shal nat be doom do no vengaunce, 3108
To punshe the trespacis which thei dede afForn,
The space acouwtid fro tyme thei wer born.
lugurta taken, almost for anger mad,
Brouhte to Roome & fetrid in prisoun, 3112
To Tarpeia an hih hill he was lad,
lugement youe for his fals tresouw,
Bouwde to a ston & aftir throwe douw
Fro the place, ful hih[e] ther he stood, 3116
Withoute merci into Tibre flood.
[Lenuoye.]
THIS may be weel callid a tragedie.
Be discripciouw takyng auctorite;
For tragedie, as poetes spesephie, 3120
Gynweth with ioie, eendith with aduersite:
From hih estat [men] cast in low degre,
Exauwple taken, this story seyn ariht.
Of lugurta, that was first a good kniht. 3124
At his gyn?jyng famous in cheualrie,
knight, but he Qat Numentaigne, of Spaigne a gret cite;
became covetous . . , i •
But m repeiryng hom to that partie, —
3109. toforn H. 3115. a doun H.
3122. men] om. R, J, P — men cast] castith men H, R 3, cast
men H 5. 3127. to that partie] to his Contra H.
This may well
be called a
tragedy, for it
began in joy
and ended in
adversity.
Jugurtha was
at first a good
BK. v] An Envoy on Jugurtha, once a good Knight 673
I meene whan he cam horn to his contre, —
He chaunged knihthod into cruelte,
With couetise so bleendid was the* siht
Of lugurta, that was first a good kniht.
His witte, his poweer he hooli dede applie
To hatful moordre, fraude & subtilite,
Bextort title hymsilfF to magnefie
Slouh rihtful heires, refFt hem ther liberte,
Bi fals intrusioun clamb up to ther see,
And gafF no fors, wher it wer wrong or riht,
A thyng contrary to eueri worthi kniht.
Noble Princis, lefFt up your hertis eye,
Withyne yowr-silfF remembreth & doth see
Off this moordre[r] the hatful tiranreye,
With oppressiouns doon to the comounte:
His gynnyng good; a cursid eende had he.
Moordre crieth vengaunce day & niht, —
A thyng contrary to eueri worthi kniht.
3128
and a murderer
O'-O^ who slew right-
ful heirs and
cared not
whether it were
right or wrong.
3136
3140
Noble Princes,
remember that
murder cries
ever vengence
and leads to
a cursed end.
314s
Q Explicit liber quintus.
^ Incipit liber vj*°*.
3128 is omitted in H.
3130. the] his B, R, J. 3133- fraude mordre H.
3141. moordrer] moorder P, J, R, R 2, H, H 4, moordir SI, H 3,
moordyr H 5, morder Add.
3143. good] was good R.
PR L^dgate, John
2034 Fall of princes
F3
1923
pt.1-2
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